people. Do you think Margot Drake is coming? If she is,

  everyone including anyone who didn’t graduate with us will

  want to come.”

  Iris looked at the plus-one section. “She put down

  Margot’s name, and Bert’s. I haven’t talked to him in years,

  but I know he comes home to see his parents a few times a

  year.” The committee would have a field day over this.

  “Once Tori and the others find out, you’re not going to

  get any peace. Are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

  Nancy touched her again before glancing down at her

  watch. “I have a house showing in thirty minutes, but call

  me later if you need to talk.”

  “Thanks, but this isn’t going to change anything. The

  only thing I’m going to have to do is talk to Sean, and as

  soon as I find a way to do that, I’ll let you know.”

  “That

  kid

  is

  brilliant

  and,

  more

  importantly,

  compassionate. The only thing that’s bothered her all these

  years is your silence. I understood why you never said

  anything, but Sean needs to hear all this from you. If you

  don’t believe me, ask Adeline.” Nancy kissed her cheek and

  waved over her shoulder as she ran out.

  She sat for a little while longer and didn’t acknowledge

  whoever came in, hoping they’d leave her alone. It startled

  her when someone was suddenly in her personal space and

  kissing her cheek. “Hey, I called you, but you were in a

  daze,” Daniel said, cramming in next to her. “What are you

  doing in here by yourself?”

  “Nancy came by for a minute about some reunion stuff.

  What are you doing awake? And here?” She put the card

  down on her lap and turned to look at him.

  “I’m going back on days starting tomorrow, so I’m trying

  to change my sleep pattern back to normal. Think they’d

  miss you if you left for lunch?”

  “Why don’t you pick something up and bring it back? I’m

  sure the kids would love to see you.”

  “This time I want my wife to love to see me. I’m not sure

  what the hell I’ve done, or what’s the matter, but

  something’s off. I can tell. Just spit it out already.”

  Daniel was starting to get upset, and she didn’t want that

  at her job. “Not now, okay? I don’t think you’d appreciate it

  if I came to your job and raised my voice, so either calm

  down or go home, and I’ll see you later.” She started to

  stand up, and he held her back, making the card drop to the

  floor.

  He reached for it and held it away from her when she

  lunged to grab it. “Never mind,” Daniel said sarcastically

  when he read the name on it. “I know exactly what’s wrong,

  and it sure as hell doesn’t have anything to do with me. How

  long, Iris? How the hell long are you going to mope around,

  thinking how much better your life would be if only you’d

  followed her instead of marrying me? Son of a bitch, it’s

  more than I should have to put up with.”

  “What are you talking about? I’m on the committee,

  Daniel, and I get all the responses. That’s all there is to it.”

  She stood and grabbed the card back from him. “We’re

  married, and I love you. I sit around thinking about how I

  can make our lives better, so don’t start with me. Sean and

  Danny barely talking to me is enough to deal with.”

  “Your problem is that not even you believe that. The

  other thing is you think I’m a complete idiot.”

  She put her hand on his cheek and shook her head. Her

  touch made him close his mouth. “My life is here with you

  and the kids. That’s all you need to know.”

  “I’m not your first choice, though, am I?” Daniel spoke

  much more softly but didn’t move away from her.

  “Does that really matter? If you’d be honest for once,

  you’d admit I’m not exactly what you had planned either.

  What matters is we’ve made a life together that we can be

  proud of.” It was time to take her head out of the clouds and

  start paying attention to what was right in front of her.

  Daniel wasn’t her first choice, but he’d been a stand-up guy.

  “You’re right. This isn’t the place to talk about it, but I’m

  not going to sit back and watch you fall all over that asshole

  at the reunion. Don’t expect that.”

  “I’m not, and don’t worry. If you want, go and get lunch.

  We’ll find a place outside to talk.”

  “Forget it—I’ve lost my appetite.” He walked out.

  The next week was going to be delightful if he had that in

  his head. Between that and the committee, it was going to

  be a hellish week, leading up to the big day. And did Jaxon

  have any idea what she was in for?

  * * *

  “Bad news, Margot.” Judith was the last person Margot

  wanted to hear from only a day after they had gone on a

  temporary unexpected hiatus.

  The unexpected time off had cleared her to leave with

  Jaxon the next day for her reunion. The week since their

  getaway had been filled with planning for their trip to

  Louisiana to see old friends as well as going to the reunion.

  It was almost like the universe wanted her to go when a

  pipe broke in the studio. The rupture had happened after-

  hours, and by the time they’d discovered it, all the furniture

  on their set was drenched. The studio had to shut them

  down for five days while it dried and they sanitized the

  space.

  “Please tell me we didn’t luck out and get the one honest

  plumber left in the world?” Jaxon had started her time off

  today, so they could have breakfast together before they

  headed to her parents’ place again for one more dinner

  before they left. With their schedules, it was a treat when

  they could squeeze in a whole day together that wasn’t on

  the weekend.

  “There’s that, and the furniture had the nerve to dry

  without so much as a waterline.” Judith didn’t sound excited

  either. “I’m not sure what they did, but the studio is back to

  normal, which blows my chance to try that resort you and

  Jaxon went to last week.”

  “When do we go back?” She tapped her fist against her

  forehead.

  “This afternoon. Sorry, kid, but before you go cursing out

  the messenger, just remember all those starving actors out

  there waiting tables hoping for their big break on a hit

  series.” The snort Judith let out meant this was the speech

  she was giving everyone.

  “They told you to say that, didn’t they.”

  “Yes, like I’d be that clichéd if I had a choice of excuses

  for why you have to be at work tomorrow.”

  Margot chewed on her bottom lip and thought about

  what ailment her character could come down with so she

  could leave with Jax the next day. Bert was thrilled she was

  going and had flown out earlier that morning to spend time

  with his family before the reunion activities began.

  Since Jax had just started opening up about her

  childhood, Margot was dying to know about the people

  she’d spent her formative years with, and with any luck

  she’d meet her family. There were a few things she’d love to

  say to Jax’s mom for what she’d done to her.

  Then there was the girl she’d left behind, because Margot

  was sure there’d been one. She hadn’t asked about that yet,

  not wanting to push Jax more than she had already, but

  there were things still left unsaid, and Margot simply knew

  they were to do with lost love. Whoever that woman was,

  Jaxon had left her behind and didn’t seem to think of her

  much. That was a win, but she was still curious.

  “There’s no way I could take the weekend?” Even if she

  missed the events happening during the week, she could

  still get to the big bang on Saturday night. Margot drew on

  some of her acting classes, trying to sound as pathetic as

  possible. The laugh coming from the other end of the phone

  told her it hadn’t worked.

  “Don’t even try that with me, young lady. What’s so

  important about this weekend?”

  “Jaxon’s class reunion is this weekend, and I really

  wanted to go with her.” She glanced around to make sure

  Jax was still in the bedroom. Usually she didn’t like talking

  about her private life, but she trusted Judith. “I wouldn’t

  bother to ask, but remember what we talked about? There’s

  something about what she’s not saying that makes me think

  I don’t want to miss it.”

  “Sorry, kid, but Frank wants to work through the weekend

  to make up for lost time. You’d swear his father owned the

  studio and it’s his life’s mission to save the old man money.”

  Judith whispered something under her breath, and it

  sounded like a lot of cursing.

  “I have it on good authority that his father works in an

  accounting firm somewhere in Ohio.”

  “Figures, and the little dweeb always seems to forget that

  he has the number one show on television. If the cast starts

  to hate him, that might not be the case.” Judith groaned and

  exhaled deeply. “You know, I’d love nothing better than to

  tell you to take off with the love of your life, but this industry

  is all about the money. Emotion went out when the silent

  movie died. Back then it was necessary. Get here before

  one, and tell Jax to have fun.”

  Margot hung up and slumped in her chair. Life just

  sucked sometimes. “Shit.”

  “If we had a dog, you’d look like someone just ran off

  with it. Bad news?” The tray in Jax’s hands was loaded down

  with her culinary efforts, and Margot did her best to smile.

  “They fixed the plumbing on the set. I’m sorry, honey,

  but I have to go back to work today.” She was in Jaxon’s

  arms the moment she put the tray down. “I wanted to go

  with you.”

  “How about I stay home? I could be waiting on you all

  weekend, and I’ll even volunteer to pose for the cameras if

  you want to go out.” Jaxon kissed the top of her head and

  rubbed her back.

  “I don’t want you to miss this. All I want you to promise

  me is that you’ll try to have a good time and reconnect with

  those friends you thought were worth it back then. They’ll

  be thrilled to see you. If I have to miss you for a week, then

  you’d better make it worth it.”

  “There weren’t many of those, and I was only going

  because Bert begged, and you’d be at my side.”

  “Listen to me, okay?” She got on the bed and pulled Jax

  with her. “You never want to talk about your family except

  for your brother, your cousin Tully, and your grandmother,

  and I’m glad you’ve shared some this week about the rest.

  They’re still there, and they love you, so why not go stop by

  and see them?” She thought the way forward with Jaxon

  was to heal her past. It was hard to love someone, giving

  them your all, knowing you weren’t ever getting all the way

  in because of walls that had nothing to do with you.

  Jaxon held back—she knew that. It was her nature. At

  first Margot had taken it to heart, and it had taken her a

  while to learn that she’d have to wait Jaxon out. There was

  something in Jaxon that had never healed from all those

  years ago, and it had only festered with time. It’d always

  been there because she realized Jaxon hadn’t let go, not

  really, but she was patient. Margot wanted everything her

  parents enjoyed together, but the only way to get it was if

  Jaxon’s emotional bleeding stopped. The only thing that

  would stanch it would come when Jaxon shared whatever

  that hurt was. Dragging all the secrets out into the sunlight

  would allow her to claim all of Jaxon.

  “Thank you for not pushing me, even though you

  probably want to. I know you’re a woman who loves talking

  about everything.” Jaxon lay back and held her. “My

  upbringing was a lot like yours, in some ways. My father was

  in the army, and he wasn’t around much. My mother

  thought moving children around wasn’t wise, so we stayed

  home and waited for him. Even though it was my dad in the

  service, my mom was as strict and by the book as any drill

  sergeant.”

  “Your mother and mine sound like they have a lot in

  common.” She moved until she was close to lying on top of

  Jaxon, so she could see her face.

  “Patty Sue and my mother are nothing alike. I didn’t mind

  the rules and curfews, really. No, our problems began when I

  met Iris Long in high school.”

  “The old girlfriend, huh?” She pinched Jaxon’s side and

  smiled, glad Jax smiled back. She’d known this would come

  up and was glad it would be sooner than later.

  “Actually, she was the girl who made me feel like I wasn’t

  crazy. I was so tired of hiding from everyone except Bert,

  and I thought I’d love Iris for the rest of my life, as you do

  when you’re seventeen and can’t imagine what life will

  really look like.” Jaxon sighed. “We spent so much time

  together it made my mom suspicious, and that’s what made

  her finally ask. By then Iris and I had been together three

  years, and I didn’t want to lie. I mean, what could be the

  harm, right?” Jax laughed, and it sounded bitter and almost

  angry.

  “I know what your mom’s reaction was, but what

  happened with Iris?”

  “I didn’t have anyplace to go, so I ended up with Bert’s

  family. The shock was still fresh when I called Iris and told

  her, but my mom had beaten me to it and talked to her

  mom. My mother thought everyone involved deserved the

  truth.”

  “God. So what happened?” She studied Jaxon’s face. Her

  jaw was tight, and she seemed to be clenching her teeth.

  “Iris asked to meet me, so she could tell me all the plans

  we made weren’t going to work out. She kissed me good-

  bye and blew me off.” Jaxon inhaled deeply through her

  nose. “The only thing I could think to do was graduate and

  get the hell out. I had scholarships that covered college for

  the first four years, but then I had to take a year off to work

  and save enough for my master’s.”

  “What did you do for a year?” This was like discovering a

  thrilling book on her nightstand, but instead of titillating, it

  was a story that made her heart ache.

  “I worked offshore as a driller for Delacroix Oil. I’m

  shocked I still have all my limbs, but I worked twenty-one

  and seven for fourteen months, and would’ve worked it

  straight through if they’d let me. I stayed with friends on my

  seven days off, and that helped me save enough to pay for

  my first year at UCLA. Then I was lucky enough to get

  fellowships to cover the rest.

  “Working summers helped me keep my apartment.”

  Jaxon’s voice got softer, and Margot kissed her. “When I left

  after that last argument, my mother told me not to come

  home, and I didn’t. That last day was the last day. I haven’t

  been back, and I don’t think I will this time either. The family

  reunion at the beach was more my father’s idea, but that

  didn’t work out either.”

  Margot rose to look at Jax. “Listen. What your mother did

  was wrong. What you’ve accomplished is beyond incredible,

  and I’m so proud of you. It still bothers you, though, and it’s

  okay to admit that.” She put her hand over Jax’s mouth

  when she opened it. “No, listen to me. I want to be your

  family—I am your family. I want all your days, and there’s no

  way I’m ever letting you go or leaving you behind. But I

  want you to know it’s okay to let all that go. That might take

  going back and cutting those ties.”

  “You don’t think I can do that now?” Jaxon spoke around

  her fingers, and it made her laugh.

  “Think of it this way. You know how you remember

  something that happened when you were little, and it’s

  huge?” Margot combed Jax’s hair back, trying to relax her.

  Jaxon nodded. “Then you go back as an adult, and it’s really

  not.”

  “You think my family drama is like that?” Jaxon laughed

  without humor.

  “Don’t joke. I can see the pain you still carry, and I love

  you too much to not want to help you.” She untied her robe

  and pushed Jax’s shirt up. “Start with what Bert said. Go