Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren Page A

neighbors.”
    “Deep Haven hardly has a dark side,” Ivy said with a smile. “Not like Minneapolis.”
    “You still think that after spending the last day preparing for court?”
    Her smile died. “I came here because I wanted to make a difference. Daniel always said small acts of justice can make great ripples in the community.”
    “Or tear it apart. One of our former assistant CAs left after she had to prosecute her best friend’s son. The son went to jail, she lost her friend, and she was dragged through the paper for weeks. She finally left, moved out of town completely.”
    Ivy stared at him. Oh.
    He got up. “Remember, every case is personal. And in a town like this, that means it’s about your grocer, your banker, the local barista, your favorite waitress, even sometimes a deacon in the church. People you know and care about. You might have to give them the hard news that their lives are about to change—and you’re the one making it happen.”
    She tried to add a little laughter to her voice. “Well, then it’s a good thing I don’t know anyone. Not really. I can be impartial.”
    DJ raised a dark eyebrow. “Hmm. Don’t you? Wasn’t that you who purchased Darek Christiansen in the bachelor auction?”
    Her mouth opened.
    He laughed. “It’s a small town, Ivy. Besides, I was there.”
    “It was just for charity. I can promise there is nothing between Darek Christiansen and me.”
    He held up his hand. “None of my business. You may be playing with fire there a little, but it’s your life. I’m just saying that your address book is going to fill up faster than you think.” He opened the door. “Don’t stay too late. Judge Magnusson is fair, but she doesn’t like napping in her courtroom.”
    “Good night, Mr. Teague.”
    “DJ.” He winked and closed the door behind him.
    DJ counted as the second person who’d warned her about Darek Christiansen. He’d been skirting the edge of her brain all day, theway he’d morphed right before her eyes into a man with a heart of flesh. And his family—what might it be like to have a family who rushed to each other’s aid? She imagined their Thanksgiving table, loud and noisy, their Christmases messy and cluttered. She could see Darek wrestling with his brother Casper as children, or the two sisters sharing secrets as they polished their toenails.
    There is nothing between Darek Christiansen and me.
    And there wouldn’t be. Because she didn’t need darkness and trouble in her life. Especially if there was some kind of crazy ex-wife in the picture.
    Except . . . well, it wouldn’t hurt to give him another chance, would it? Especially since she doubted very much that his name would ever land on the assistant county attorney’s desk.

    These were exactly the type of guests Evergreen Resort needed. A young family with four rambunctious children—three boys and a toddler daughter all under the age of eight, not old enough to miss cell phone service or Facebook. Sure, they piled out of their SUV with handheld gaming gadgets, but their smart father ordered the hardware left in the car while Darek checked them in and showed them around the resort.
    “There’s a playground of sorts by the house. A sandbox and a tire swing, a basketball hoop,” Darek said, pointing to the ancient recreation area. “And horseshoes, bocce ball, and a badminton set in the shed.”
    Overhead the sky had turned into watercolor glory, reds and golds and lavender painted across the horizon. “There’s a restaurant down the road, or you can always fire up your barbecue.” Hehad put them in the largest cabin, a three-bedroom with homemade quilts, a tiny kitchen with a retro Formica table and chairs. “There’s a canoe down by the shore; feel free to take it out. The life jackets and paddles are in a corral nearby. And of course, a paddleboat available at the swimming area down by the dock. We also have a floating raft with a slide on it, but there’s no lifeguard, so