"Not a good time? What''s so inconvenient?” Hannah muttered before her voice suddenly rose. "Don''t tell me... Don''t tell me you''re actually interested in men, are you?"


    That would exin why he refused to bring anyone home.


    “Grandma...” Shanley let out a frustratedugh, unable to exin. He couldn''t very well say that his future wife was still in high school, could he? If Hannah found out, she''d probably break his legs. Besides, the girl was only just starting to warm up to him. He''d have to wait until she graduated before he could even think about pursuing her. He had no desire to bebeled a predator.


    "I don''t care what your excuse is," Hannah said sternly. "I''ve invited that brilliant young doctor to my birthday banquet. You have to be there, no matter what."


    Shanley sighed wearily. He didn''t understand what kind of spell this doctor had cast on his grandmother. If he didn''t show up, Hannah would never let it go.


    "Fine," he relented, hoping to appease her.


    "It''s your loss if you don''t want her,” Hannah huffed, wishing she could smack him. "There are plenty of other eligible young men in the Schwartz family. I''ll just find the best one for her myself. Whoever marries that girl will be blessed for generations."


    "That''s great, Grandma," Shanley replied with a resigned smile. “Please, find her the best match. If it works out, I''ll be sure to give them a generous wedding gift." Hannah was speechless. She couldn''t be bothered with him anymore and mmed the phone down.


    That ungrateful boy! He was driving her mad.


    Juniper slept until eight that evening. When she woke up, she instinctively looked around. She remembered studying in the living room and then dreaming that Shanley had carried her... She''d been dreaming about him a lottely, so she''d assumed it was just another dream. But looking around her own bedroom, it seemed it had actually happened.


    She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Around him, it was like she had no defenses at all. She hadn''t always been like this.


    It was a good thing he wasn''t her mortal enemy. If he were that bastard leader from Sigma Network, she''d probably be dead by now.


    Just thinking about him made her teeth ache with hatred. That son of a bitch. He''d better hope she never found him, or she''d kill him.


    ...


    The next morning, Shanley drove a more understated sedan, a practical choice for dropping Juniper off right at the school gate.


    "Your right hand hasn''t fully healed, so don''t strain it," he said, rearranging the snacks in her backpack and cing her bottle where she could easily see it. "Just do your best on the test. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself."


    "Got it." Juniper flexed her wrist, unconcerned.


    When she''d fought that bastard from Sigma Network, her right hand had been shot, nearly crippled. Everyone said it couldn''t be saved, but she had performed surgery on it with her left hand and nursed it back to health over several months. It was tougher than it looked.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t pass," Shanley continued, handing her jacket to her. “I have money. I can take care of you."


    "You have money?" Juniper paused, a slow smile spreading across her face. Her voice wasced with azy amusement. "How much money are we talking about?"


    "However much you want,” he answered, a devilish grin on his lips, his affection for her on full disy.


    However much she wanted? Wow, so generous. Good-looking and rich he had it all.


    "You know, I''m very expensive. Most people can''t afford me.” Juniper hugged her backpack, her tone light and yfully arrogant. "You''d better start saving up."


    Shanley froze for a second, then a slow grin spread across his face.


    Was that her giving him a green light?