Sara took one last look around the apartment. Want!

She wanted to sit at that little table and drink coffee in the morning, looking at the lovely flowers. She wanted to curl up on the chair close to the front door and read a book with light streaming in over her shoulder from the window. Hell, she even wanted to wake up and stare at the cheerfully yellow walls.

She wanted to come to a place that could actually feel like home.

“It really is lovely, but I’m afraid I can’t afford it.” It wasn’t a lie—she could just barely manage the monthly payments, and she wouldn’t even have to dip into her precious stash of cash. But she couldn’t afford the other things that would come with taking the apartment.

“Perhaps if we made it three hundred . . . and you could help me in the gardens from time to time.”

Sara shook her head. “No, I’m sorry.” She started for the door.

She had her hand on the doorknob when Theresa spoke again. “You’d be safe here.”

Sara froze. Every muscle in her back tensed up and she took a deep breath, consciously made herself relax and give Theresa a puzzled smile. “I’m sorry?”

“You heard me, darling.” Theresa sighed and the happy, contented mask on her face fell away, revealing a woman who looked as if she understood worry . . . fear. “You’d be safe. You can pay me in cash and I don’t need to run a credit check, I won’t ask for identification. There is no security deposit—the only thing I ask is that you not steal anything from me when it’s time for you to go.”

Her breath was trapped in her lungs. She didn’t even realize she’d stopped breathing until her chest started to ache. Releasing a pent-up breath, she collapsed back against the door and stared at Theresa. “What are you talking about?”

God, does she know? Did I give myself away . . . how?

As though she knew every thought running through Sara’s mind, Theresa shook her head. “Don’t worry, Sara. I don’t know who you are and I don’t know why you’re running or what you’re running from. But you are running. Aren’t you?”

“If you think I’m running from something, the last thing you should do is offer me a place to stay.”

“Oh, sweetheart . . . not everybody runs away because they’ve done something wrong. A lot of people run away because they have no choice.”

Have you entered to win the Nook?

Borders | BAMM | B & N | Book Depository | IndieBound | Amazon | Powell’s