Saturday was moving day. Jay, Joey’s brother, had offered to help. Between her SUV and his pickup truck, they were able to move her bed, dresser, toiletries, and clothes in one trip. She didn’t want to go crazy in case the job didn’t work out. Besides, the bedroom she’d be using wasn’t much larger than the bathroom she had all to herself at her parents’ house.
But it was a job close to Roni, and that’s all she cared about. She planned to make herself so indispensable that Ryder wouldn’t have any reason to can her.
In the nicest of ways, Janine had conveyed to her that Ryder had reservations about Joey. She knew it had nothing to do with her qualifications. No, Ryder’s issues had nothing to do with her professionally and everything to do with one very hot kiss.
She couldn’t say she blamed him. The kiss made for an awkward employment situation and a potentially unprofessional one. But she wouldn’t let it become a problem. She needed the job—and especially the living situation—too badly.
For the last eight months, Comfort Keepers had gotten her work all over Reno. But this was the first opening in Nugget, and she wasn’t about to screw it up. The prospect of being only a couple of miles from Roni, from being able to attend her school events and regularly take her for dinners and sleepovers was beyond perfect.
Whatever attraction she and Ryder had once felt for each other would just have to be set aside.
The second they got to his home, she could feel Jay’s disapproval emanating off him like a bad odor.
“This is it?” He stared at the house with distaste, then under his breath said, “That son of a bitch is getting away with murder over what he pays you in alimony.”
Ethan was under no obligation to pay her anything. At the time of their divorce, the court had awarded her rehabilitative alimony, meaning that once she was able to work again, she’d be on her own. Ethan continued to pay her support out of the goodness of his heart. But he was starting a new family, and Joey had no intention of taking advantage. She’d been the one to ruin their marriage and had nearly cost Ethan his career. It was understood that as soon as she was financially solvent, she’d stop mooching off him.
“Shush, I don’t want the owner—my new employer—to hear you. Let me go find him so we can start moving this stuff inside.”
“I don’t know what you’re working for. If you’d played your cards right, pussy boy would’ve had to pay you the rest of your life.”
Joey rolled her eyes. Her brother didn’t have the first clue about Nevada divorce laws. But at the rate he was going with his own marriage, he should definitely get himself acquainted with them. In addition to Jay’s naïveté, he could be a vindictive jerk. It was no secret that he and her ex-husband despised each other. Joey had always suspected that Jay was jealous of Ethan. The famous surgeon thing really rankled Jay.
Ryder came out of the house and onto the porch. He shielded his eyes with his hand against the sun as he surveyed the back of Jay’s pickup. “Howdy.”
“Hi,” Joey said, her pulse unexpectedly quickening. “This is my brother, Jay. Jay, this is Ryder Knight, Ms. Knight’s son.”
Ryder and Jay sized each other up the way guys do. Then Ryder came down the steps and shook Jay’s hand.
“You need some help?” Before she or Jay could answer, Ryder had started untying the straps her brother had used to secure her mattress and box spring.
Together, the two men carried in the bed while she grabbed a few boxes. It took less than thirty minutes to unload everything. Jay used the time to try to sell Ryder one of the new Ford F-450s on his dealership lot. Her family had grown used to Jay’s cheesy sales pitch. But to give him credit, it’s probably why Nix Ford did as well as it did.
With her boxes, chest of drawers, and bed, there was hardly room to move in her new bedroom. She planned to spend the next couple of hours putting things away before picking up Roni for the day. They would have so much more time together now that she didn’t have to commute.
She walked Jay out to his truck. “Thank you for doing this.”
He turned and gave the house another appraisal. “It isn’t as bad on the inside, but are you sure you want to do this? You’re practically a doctor for Christ’s sake.”
“Jay, I’ve been doing this for the last eight months.” Though it was the first time she’d be a live-in caregiver. “You know why?” It was a rhetorical question because he knew as well as she did that she’d been stripped of her nursing license. “Because this is the only vocation I have.” And she liked it. At the end of the day, she was still helping people. And that’s why she’d gone into nursing in the first place.
“I say you make that bastard pay. Lord knows, he can afford it.”
She clamped her jaw together. It was futile arguing with him, so why even bother? “Drive safely.” She opened his truck door and managed a tight smile.
He got in and nudged his head at the front door of the house. “Watch out for that guy. I don’t trust him.”
“Yeah, okay,” she said and walked away, wishing she’d handled the move on her own.
Inside, she found Ryder stretched out on the couch, drinking a beer, watching pro rodeo.
“Do you miss it?” she asked and just as quickly wished she hadn’t. They weren’t friends. He was her employer and she his employee. The end.
He turned to look at her, his expression surprised. “You’ve been doing your research, huh?”
“People talk.” She shrugged.
“Nah, I don’t miss it. It’s a young man’s sport.”
She’d wondered about his age and was tempted to ask but stopped herself. If she had to guess, the crow’s feet dancing around his eyes put him somewhere in the vicinity of forty. A good forty, though, with a full head of hair, a lean physique, and facial lines that told a story.
“You miss nursing?”
“This is similar enough,” she said, desperately wanting to extricate herself from the conversation.
“I was wondering why you quit.”
Shit. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t lie if the question came up. Lying was grounds for immediate dismissal. Besides, a successful addiction recovery required honesty. “A few years ago, I had an accident. I slipped on a wet floor and threw out my back. The pain…well, it was beyond anything I’d ever experienced. I became addicted to painkillers, and my nursing license was suspended. I’m in the middle of appealing to be reinstated.”
He didn’t respond at first, just sat there assessing her, making her feel like she was under a microscope.
“I’m clean now,” she stuttered. But even to her own ears, she sounded defensive.
“It would’ve been good if you’d told me that from the beginning.”
“All you had to do was ask. But if it’s a problem, I’ll pack up and be on my way.” Her chest tightened. She wanted this job with every fiber of her being.
There was a long silence, then, “You and I both know that would leave me in a bind. We’ll see how it goes.”
But Joey sensed her days were numbered. He’d already made it clear that he was uncomfortable with her in the first place. Add the new revelation that she’d been a druggie and…Ryder was going to find someone else. It was clear as the newly cleaned windows.
“I’m going to unpack my stuff now,” she said and headed to her bedroom.
She shut the door and sat on the edge of her bed. At least her past was out in the open, she told herself. When he slapped her with a pink slip, she’d be prepared. Monday, she’d tell Janine to start looking for something else. Insurance companies required caregivers to work through a licensed agency, but it didn’t mean she couldn’t put the word out that she was available for in-home care in the general vicinity.
In the meantime, she kept busy by hanging up her clothes in the stingy closet. When she finished, she made up the bed and displayed a few pictures of Roni on the dresser and nightstand. It was a drab little room. But why cheer it up when she’d only be leaving soon? The worst part of getting canned would be Roni’s disappointment. Her daughter had been over the moon that Joey was moving “next door” as Roni liked to say. And Ethan and Brynn…she was so tired of being the loser ex.
There was a tap on the door. Joey girded herself. Now that Ryder had had time to think, he’d probably come to deliver her walking papers. “Come in.”
He opened the door but remained at the threshold as he glanced around the room. It was cramped but neat. “I’m going to the market to stock up on food for the week. Is there anything you’d like me to get? Meals are part of the compensation, right?”
“Yes. I’d like to focus on your mom first. I’ll go over it with her when she gets here. But to tide us over, I can make a list or I can just do the shopping, which is technically part of my duties. It’s up to you how you want to work it.”
He reached up and hung his hands from the door casing, deliberating. “For now, why don’t we just go together? Maybe I can set up some kind of account there for you.”
Most of her clients just gave her a credit card. But whatever. “Sure.” She glanced at her watch. Roni was expecting her. “I’m ready to go.”
“I’ll drive.”
She grabbed her purse and followed him out to his truck. It was a Ram, which was probably why Jay didn’t trust him.
“The house looks good,” she said as he made his way down the driveway. It had been cleaned, and polished hardwood floors had replaced the old, disgusting carpet since the last time she’d been here. The furniture and pictures in the living room lent the cottage a cozy air. “It’s important. Patients tend to recuperate better in a tidy and cheerful environment.”
“My ma had a nice place in Modesto. Modern. She’ll miss it. What about you?”
She turned in her seat. “What about me?”
“You leaving a good setup for this?”
“I’ve been living with my parents in Reno.” It had been important for her to have a safe, nurturing place to land after six months in a rehab facility. “After my divorce, I needed time to restructure.”
“I gather the ex lives here.”
“The Circle D Ranch. You know it?” In her experience, everyone knew everyone else in Nugget.
“Ethan Daniels? That’s your ex?”
“Uh-huh.” She might as well get everything out in the open. It was a small town, and folks here loved to talk.
“I’ve only been there once. Nice place.”
“Yep.”
He slanted her a glance. “You two on good terms?”
“We are.” It was true, not that it was any of Ryder’s business. “If you have any doubts about me, feel free to give him a call.”
“Why? He’ll just say nice things about you whether they’re true or not.”
“No, he wouldn’t. He’s a respected surgeon, he wouldn’t risk his credibility like that.” Even though she’d had no compunction torpedoing his reputation to get a fix.
“Why’d you two get divorced? Was it the pills or the brunette?”
She assumed he meant Brynn. The fact that Ryder was comparing them hurt more than she was willing to admit. “He didn’t meet Brynn until long after our divorce. As for why we broke up, that’s kind of personal, don’t you think?”
He hitched his shoulders. “So, you two have a kid together?”
“Veronica. We call her Roni.”
He looked at her again, and she waited for the inevitable question. Why isn’t she with you? But it never came. She suspected he already knew the answer and was saving her from the humiliation of it.
“What about you? Divorced? Kids?” A year ago, he’d told her he was single. But his status could’ve changed.
“Nope” was all he said.
She was about to ask him if he had a girlfriend but thought better of it. “How’s the trucking business?” she asked instead.
“Busy.” He was quite a conversationalist when the questions were aimed at him.
He slid into a parking space at the Nugget Market. The lot was the most crowded she’d ever seen it. A late spring weekend in the Sierra, she supposed. People came to look at the wildflowers and get their nature on. The market, which carried everything from bug spray to charcoal briquettes, catered to the tourists as well as locals.
She didn’t wait for Ryder and grabbed a shopping cart, heading directly to the produce aisle. “Is there any fruit your mother doesn’t like?”
“Not that I can think of.” He squeezed an apricot and threw a few in a plastic bag.
“What about dietary issues? Is she allergic to anything?”
“She’s not a vegetarian or a vegan, if that’s what you mean. As far as allergies, I’ve never known her to have one. She doesn’t like peas or fishy fish. Not a fan of venison, either.”
“Okay, that’s a good start.”
She loaded the cart with a carton of strawberries, a honeydew melon, and any other fruit that looked fresh. Then, she perused the vegetable offerings. Next time, she’d visit Annie’s farm stand.
She went from aisle to aisle, Ryder tagging along as she selected healthful ingredients. Whole grain bread, nuts, beans, and foods that would help control blood pressure and body weight. In the meat section, she stuck with poultry and ground turkey.
“For now, we’re going to avoid most dairy and foods high in saturated fat,” she told Ryder, who’d been throwing his own choices into the cart, including a couple of steaks. “If she really misses something, I’ll work it into her diet sparingly and a little at a time. It’s important that she doesn’t feel deprived but at the same time maintains a healthy diet to reduce the risk of another stroke and to help her recovery.”
“Okay. She’s not much of a drinker, but I know she enjoys a glass of wine every now and again. Can she have that?” He stopped, as though suddenly remembering that Joey had a substance abuse problem. “Or will that be an issue for you?”
She couldn’t tell if he was being thoughtful or acerbic but decided to answer with honesty. “As a recovering addict, I don’t drink. But alcohol was never my problem, opioids were. In any event, you and your mother should pose the question of wine to her doctor. I don’t know enough about her medical history to advise you on whether drinking, even in moderation, would exacerbate her condition.”
He nodded. “We ’bout done here?”
Hey, shopping on a Saturday when Joey could be spending time with her daughter wasn’t her idea of fun either. She was just about to tell him that when she thought better of it. Best to stay a hundred percent professional. “I just want to get a few cans of low sodium soup and we’re out of here.”
Ethel, the market’s owner, rang them up. As Ryder paid, Joey couldn’t help but notice the appreciative glances coming his way. Even Ethel, who had to be in her late sixties, was flirting with him.
She would’ve sworn she heard a sigh as the two of them passed a young woman on their way out of the store. Jeez, the man wasn’t that good-looking.
“Here.” Ryder handed her a credit card when they finished loading the groceries into the back of his truck. “This is for you to use on food and household items. I don’t want my mother paying for anything.”
The credit card made her feel like she’d passed a test with Ryder. Or maybe she was overanalyzing. He was hard to read.
On the way home, he turned on the radio to a country-and-western station and drummed his fingers to the beat of the tune. He drove with a lazy nonchalance, only one hand on the wheel, that for some crazy reason she found inordinately sexy.
Shut it down, girl.
“I’ll be out of town for a few days next week, so you’ll have to hold down the fort. My ma has an appointment with her new doc in Quincy. You’ll need to drive her.”
“Of course.” That was all part of the job description. “I’ll want to get a list of her appointments and the numbers for your cell and any other family members that I can contact in case of an emergency.”
“Just me.” His voice was almost a growl.
“Okay.” Apparently Ryder didn’t have any siblings. “Are you going on a business trip?”
He slid her a glance. “Cattle run. Wyoming. And hopefully a load on my way back to California.”
“To Nugget?” She had no idea how livestock trucking worked.
“Nope. Coalinga. Feedlots.”
“Do you ever speak in full sentences?” She simply couldn’t help herself.
His mouth ticked up. “Nothing wrong with being spare.”
“I bet you’re a blast at parties.”
“Don’t go to ’em.”
“Why’s that?”
He shrugged. “No one ever invites me.” Again, that wicked smile.
The man was a natural-born liar. Judging by the reactions he got at the Nugget Market, she’d say it was a pretty safe bet that he got all kinds of invitations.
“That’s too bad.” She started to say that maybe if he worked on his personality, he’d make more friends, but stopped herself. It was bordering on flirting, and there would be none of that.
By the time they got back to the house, she was ready to get out of his truck. The roomy cab had started to feel tight.
Together, they carried the groceries into the kitchen. He’d done work in here, too, she noted. Except for the old-timey stove, the appliances were new. The sleek stainless-steel refrigerator and dishwasher looked slightly out of place in the vintage kitchen. But they were so clean, they shined. And the place smelled like disinfectant, which reminded her of the hospital.
“It looks good in here.” She turned in a circle. “You’ve been busy.”
“I hired cleaners. And a local guy did the floors.”
“Nice.” She zeroed in on the wallpaper. “This is starting to grow on me. There’s something about roosters…they’re happy.”
He eyed the wall, then her. “If you say so.”
“We’ll see what your mom thinks. Janine said Ms. Knight is hoping to move into a senior community in Reno once she fully recovers.” A lot of seniors moved from California to Nevada because the cost of living was lower and there was no sales tax on food and medicine.
He nodded. “Cascade Village. You know it?”
She shook her head. “I’m sure it’s very nice, though.”
“Yup, lots of activities, along with a couple of restaurants, tennis courts, a pool, a spa, a gym, the works. And it’s about half the price of similar places in California. She’s pretending to be excited about it, but I know she’s not too thrilled.”
“Wasn’t it her idea?” Joey asked, surprised that Ryder had suddenly opened up so much.
“Nah, she’s been too sick. So, I checked it out and showed her pictures and a video tour. When she’s a little bit more mobile, I’ll take her to see it. It’s a pretty swanky place.”
“I’m sure when she visits in person, she’ll be more enthused. Change is hard.”
“Yeah, I guess. I just figured it was the best way to go. She’ll be close to me and yet go back to having her independence. The place also has assisted living apartments and medical care on the premises if it winds up that she doesn’t…well, anyway, I was trying to cover all the bases.”
“It’s a good plan,” she reassured him because he seemed to be second-guessing himself. “And if she decides it’s not what she wants, you’ll come up with a new plan.”
He let out a sigh. “I wanted to at least get her on the list. The place is full right now, and the director said it could take up to a year for something to become available.”
“Absolutely.” She was impressed with his compassion. He clearly loved his mother and wanted what was best for her, which was really sweet. It didn’t match his rough exterior, but that was a cowboy for you. She’d known many cowboys in her time and had dated plenty. Hell, she’d married one. Ethan might be a surgeon, but he’d grown up in a multigenerational ranching family. “I’m sure you’ll get it all settled. In the meantime, we’ll take good care of her.”
His response was to give her a look that said, Don’t get too comfortable here. “You hanging around today?”
Was that a subtle hint that he wanted the house to himself? “I’m taking my daughter out.”
“I’m planning to grill for dinner. If you’re interested, let me know and I’ll throw something on for you.”
The man clearly had a split personality. He couldn’t make up his mind whether he wanted to be friendly or aloof.
“I didn’t see a barbecue,” she said. Except for the overgrown grass, the yard was a wasteland.
“Nope. But by the end of the day, there’ll be one.”
“Thanks for the offer, but like I said, I’ve got plans.”
“Suit yourself.”
She stashed the nonperishables in the pantry. It was bigger than her clothes closet and might just be the best feature of the house. Joey assumed that when the home was first built, it had been a cold storage room for canned fruits and vegetables from the garden.
“If you don’t need me for anything else, I’m going to take off,” she said.
“Have a nice time with your daughter.”
She took her cosmetics bag to the bathroom and applied some light makeup, then changed into a summery dress. It was overkill for a day out in Nugget with Roni. But Brynn brought out the competitive in her. The woman was stunning, even first thing in the morning. Joey had never considered herself a beauty by any stretch. But she’d always turned heads, especially male ones. Lately, though, she’d been less confident in herself.
She’d spent a lot of time in counseling, talking about it and exploring why Ethan had ever loved her in the first place. A truth not lost on her was that he could have had any woman he wanted. A doctor with a résumé equally as good as his. A supermodel. A movie star.
Yet he had chosen her and loved her like crazy. But that hadn’t been enough for her. After Roni was born, she’d felt so low that she’d begun posting her picture on dating sites just to see if she could attract interest. Even before she’d become pregnant, going to bars with her nurse friends and counting the number of men who hit on her had become a game.
What kind of person did things like that? A very insecure one. It had taken her months of rehab to learn that about herself. She was working through it a little at a time, but she still had moments of doubt that were paralyzing.
And here she was, dressing up to impress her ex-husband’s fiancée. It was beyond ridiculous. But as her therapist would say, if it made her feel good, it was harmless. So, she applied a little lipstick, grabbed her purse, and headed out.
Ryder was back on the sofa, watching rodeo again. For a man who didn’t miss the sport, he certainly seemed obsessed. He looked up as she was leaving and took a long visual stroll over her dress. “See you.”
“Bye.”
The thought of spending the rest of the day with Roni cheered her. And by the time she got to the Circle D Ranch, she’d managed to shove her insecurities to the back of her mind and only focus on her daughter. Ethan came onto the porch when he heard her car pull up. She got out and waved to him.
“How’d the move go?”
“Good. It took longer than I thought it would, though.”
“It always does.”
Ethan looked good. He’d always been one of the best-looking men she’d ever known. But today, there was so much happiness coming off him that it was infectious. She should’ve been jealous but instead felt a surprising warmth for him.
“Come on in,” he said.
She climbed the front porch. The house never failed to floor her.
“Where’s Roni?” she asked, noting how quiet it was. Between Roni, Henry, and the dog, there was always a ruckus.
“We didn’t know what time you’d get here, so Roni went with Brynn to get her wedding dress altered. She was excited about it.”
“Oh. Why didn’t you call me?” It was her day with her daughter, not Brynn’s. She didn’t want to make a federal case out of it, but it was presumptuous of them.
“I did. But you didn’t answer your phone. I figured you were caught up in the chaos of the move. Look, if it’s a problem, I can have Brynn bring her home or you can run by the seamstress shop in Clio. It’s only a few miles past Nugget. You’re the one always lecturing me about being too regimented with Roni’s visitation schedule.” It was his crafty way of saying that he’d been flexible with Joey, even though the court had granted him full custody. And that she in return should be flexible with him.
Because she hoped he would continue to be flexible, especially now that she could see Roni every day, she didn’t argue. They’d spend all of Sunday together.
“I suppose it’s good. I still have a ton of unpacking to do at the house,” she lied.
“You want a cup of coffee or a soft drink?” He crossed the foyer and headed to the kitchen. Joey obligingly followed.
The rooms were so Ethan—the understated comfy rustic décor and muted colors—and yet so unlike Ethan. Her ex had always believed in living light on the land. And this house was anything but light. It fairly shouted, “Look at me. I’m an architectural marvel.” Big open spaces, cathedral ceilings, exposed beams, ginormous windows that let in the views.
It was much fancier than the tract home Joey had had with Ethan in Reno. When they’d bought it, Ethan hadn’t yet reached the pinnacle of his career. After the divorce, they’d sold it and split the proceeds, which hadn’t amounted to a whole lot. Between what they owed to the bank and the slowing real estate market, they were lucky to have broken even.
He’d inherited the Circle D, which had been in his family for ages. The Danielses used to run their cattle here in the summer when there was no grass to be found in the arid Nevada countryside.
“Do me a favor,” he said. “Write down the address of your new place.” Ethan handed her a pen and a notebook.
She didn’t know it by heart and rummaged through her purse for the slip of paper she’d written it on when she’d first interviewed with Ryder. She jotted it down and handed the notebook back to Ethan.
“That’s the old Montgomery place,” he said as he read her scrawl. The only person who had worse handwriting than her was him.
She shrugged. “It’s the Knight place now.”
“I’d heard that Ryder Knight bought it.” He looked at her quizzically. “Last time I saw him, he was in perfect health.”
“I’m working for his sixty-six-year-old mother. She recently suffered a stroke. He’s bringing her home Monday.”
Ethan gave her a long, assessing look. “There’s nothing new on your nursing license?”
She tensed. It had been a year since she’d started the appeal. They both knew the California Board of Registered Nursing had no intention of reinstating it. “No. Who knows? It might turn out that I like this better.” It was certainly less stressful than working at the hospital. The only drawback was not having her own place with a room for Roni. But one step at a time.
“Will the union get you an advocate?”
The question irritated her. The first thing she’d done in trying to reclaim her career was bring in a union rep. She didn’t need her ex-husband mansplaining how she could fix her broken life. It wasn’t broken, thank you very much. It was merely bruised and on the mend. “I’ve done that already.” She changed gears because she didn’t want to talk about her work anymore. “So you know Ryder Knight, huh?”
“Only in passing. He hauled my calves last summer, and I used to watch him compete in the PRCA. He’s one of the greatest saddle bronc riders in recent history.” He grabbed a mug from the cupboard. “You want coffee?”
“No thanks, but a glass of water would be great.” She wanted to know more about Ryder. “One of the greatest, really?”
“Two-time world champ.”
Whoa, she’d definitely called that one wrong. She’d assumed he was your run-of-the-mill rodeo bum, not a big timer. “Why’d he quit?”
Ethan hitched his shoulders. “You can only do it so long. The guy had more broken bones than all my patients put together. And I seem to recall there was some kind of family tragedy.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t remember, and I may be confusing him with someone else. It was at least five years ago. He’s been out of pro rodeo for a while now.”
He grabbed a glass, filled it with ice and water, and motioned for her to pull up a stool at the center island. “Brynn and I wanted to talk to you about the wedding.”
“Roni already told me. You’re all going to Hawaii. Do you think that from now on you could at least notify me of these things in advance? It would be nice to know when you’re taking my daughter out of state without having to hear it from her first.”
There was a long stretch of silence. She knew Ethan well enough to know that she’d overplayed her hand and that he was one inch away from letting her have it. He had sole custody of Roni, after all. And for good reason. At the height of her addiction, she’d put their daughter in imminent danger. Ethan had never fully forgiven her for it. And she hadn’t forgiven herself. What she’d done was terrible. But slowly, she was earning back both their trust. And although he’d agreed to unsupervised visits with Roni, even allowing Joey to keep their daughter overnight, he was in charge.
“I should’ve told you,” he said, surprising her. “It wasn’t intentional. But with everything going on—work, the ranch, planning a wedding—it slipped my mind. It’s not an excuse, and I’ll do better in the future.”
“Thank you.” He’d caught her completely off guard.
“What we wanted to talk to you about, though, was the wedding itself. If it’s not too weird for you, we’d like you to be there. We think it’ll be good for Roni…show that it’s amicable between you and Brynn…that it’s okay for her to love both of you.”
That last part was like a punch to the gut. He might as well have said that Brynn was as much Roni’s mother as Joey was. Well, she wasn’t. Not even close.
Joey’s first inclination was to tell Ethan that he and Brynn could both go to hell. But one of the many skills she’d learned in rehab was impulse control.
She put down her glass of water and as calmly as she could, said, “I’ll think about it.” Then she picked up her purse and walked out.