From: CJames@Jolie.com

  To: JHanson@jolie.com

  September 25, 2022

  Subject: Re: Last night

  I can’t believe Rose walked in on us. I’m going to kill you.

  From: JHanson@jolie.com

  To: CJames@jolie.com

  October 1, 2022

  Subject: Dinner

  I’m picking up Chloe from choir practice, and then we’ll pick up dinner from Lucia’s. I’ll keep your food in the oven. Don’t work too late.

  Love you.

  54

  ONLY YOU BY HARRY CONNICK, JR

  Cat

  As fall arrives, our days only get busier. While I haven’t actually been named editor in chief, I’ve somehow slipped into the role while also helping Jay with plans for the merger.

  No matter how hard I try to work with Cash, though, he pushes me away. Since we started the fake dating ruse, I’ve gotten to know Grace and have realized how wrong I was about her.

  She is genuinely kind, and she’s everything my brother deserves. I just wish I’d recognized it before I worked so hard to break them up.

  My brother spends his days drinking and falling further and further into depression. Out of desperation to fix things, I brought Grace to his club. I really believed that if he saw her again, he’d realize how wrong he was.

  Boy, did I misjudge that.

  The night turned into a disaster. And now Grace won’t speak to me either.

  “What’s the best band to listen to in autumn?” Jay asks as he walks into my office with his phone in his hand.

  I smile, waiting for the punchline.

  “The Spice Girls.” He grins and shimmies his hips as “Wannabe” plays through his phone.

  I let out a loud laugh as he dances around my office, completely unconcerned about the growing number of people who have paused what they’re doing to stare at him.

  “You’re insane,” I whisper as he continues to sing his way toward me. He drops a kiss on my lips before he goes right back to Sporty Spice’s line, planting one hand on his waist and cocking a hip.

  He’s such a diva.

  “Why do you look so stressed, Kitten?” Jay asks when he gets a good look at me. He turns off the music and crouches beside me, smoothing a thumb over my brow.

  I sigh. “I’m just so happy.”

  He laughs and moves to stroke my cheek reverently. “And that’s making you unhappy?”

  I lean in to his touch. “I destroyed them, Jay,” I whisper.

  “Who, baby?”

  “Cash and Grace. They should be together. They should be as happy as we are.”

  His brows knit together. “That’s not on you, Cat.”

  “It is, though,” I huff. “Cash was my best friend. For so many years, he was my favorite person in the world. Now I don’t even recognize him. All he does is drink. And hang out at his stupid club,” I say with a groan. Chase as a club owner? That I can see. But Cash? All he’s ever cared about is James Liquors. Until now. Now that he’s lost control of it, he’s spiraling.

  “What can I do?” Jay asks.

  “Nothing,” I sigh. We tried to get them back together, and it backfired. At this point, I have to step back and let my brother figure this out himself.

  “I know something that will make you smile,” Jay whispers.

  “What’s that?”

  “Google our names, Kitten,” he says, wearing a sly grin.

  Pursing my lips, I narrow my eyes at him. “What did you do, Mr. Hanson?”

  Though his efforts are valiant, I know him well enough to see the slight crack in his façade, the nervousness over whatever he’s done.

  Wiggling my mouse to wake up my computer, I watch the black screen light up to a picture of Chloe and me in Paris. It’s from the last trip I took before my grandfather got ill. God, that feels like a lifetime ago. Six months ago, if someone had told me I’d be sitting in my office with Jay Hanson right now, I’d have laughed my ass off. Then I would have raged and probably thrown a thing or two.

  I never would have believed I’d be spending my weekends with this man and our daughter.

  Flicking my eyes to him, I smile, then type our names into the search bar. I suck in a breath as I read the headline out loud. “Jonathan Hanson Confirms Relationship with Catherine James.”

  When I turn to him, he’s studying me, waiting for my reaction. “Oh my God,” I whisper.

  “No going back now, Kitten,” he says softly, his features still pensive.

  Nibbling at my bottom lip, I turn back to the screen and read the press release.

  Cat and I have been friends for years, but it wasn’t until Cat started working with Grace Kensington that I was able to see her in a different light. Grace has a tried-and-true method that leads to a real connection, and Cat and I are so grateful to her for helping us realize what has always been right in front of us.

  I let out a soft laugh. “That’s one way to spin it.”

  “We’ll do some press. A talk show or two. Really beat the story into everyone’s heads so Frank’s brother doesn’t suspect a thing.”

  I blow out a breath. “And Chloe?”

  He scrubs his hand over his face. “They can’t know she’s mine, baby. I fucking hate it more than anything, but if they know she’s mine? Fuck, it puts you both in danger.”

  “More secrets,” I mutter. Though there’s no other option. “I hate this.”

  “Let’s just focus on the good. You’re done with fake dating other men. You and Chloe are safe. And we’re together. Who cares what the rest of the world thinks? What matters is our family. From here on out, it’s the three of us, and that’s all I care about.”

  “I just wish…” I break off, scanning the barren shoreline outside my window. Fall really is here. It makes me want to take a blanket and picnic basket down there and lose myself in the season.

  “What do you wish, baby?”

  I shake my head. No more wishing, no more sadness. “Let’s go for a picnic. Let’s pick Chloe up from school, grab waffles, and celebrate.”

  Jay’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”

  “Yeah, let’s tell her we’re doing this. Let’s show her exactly what that means.”

  55

  MY GIRL BY THE TEMPTATIONS

  Jay

  Chloe steps into the living room, her brown hair curled into ringlets and a bright smile lighting up her face. The navy dress I had custom designed by Sienna Langfield is simple and elegant. The only adornments are the ruffled hem at the knee and a bow on one side of the neck.

  “Stunning.” I hold out the corsage I brought for her with a smile. I’m not sure if these are still a thing, but fuck if I wasn’t getting my little girl flowers. Cat appears behind her, wearing black drawstring sweats and a sweater that falls off one shoulder, exposing one of my favorite spots.

  “This dress is gorgeous,” Cat says, twirling Chloe to face her.

  My daughter peers back at me, her eyes darting to the flowers. “I still can’t believe Sienna designed this. The girls are going to flip!”

  Smirking, I kiss her on the cheek first and slide the corsage onto her wrist. When she grabs her phone so she can text “the girls,” I finally give Cat the attention she deserves.

  “How is it possible that you look more beautiful in sweats than most women look on the runway?”

  She gives me a coy smile and loops her arms around my neck. Instead of responding, she pops up onto her toes and kisses me. It’s a quick one since Chloe is nearby, but she’s getting more comfortable with affection around her. Every time she catches us, there’s a glint in her eye. She doesn’t fully trust it yet, which I understand, but along with her concern, there’s a glimmer of hope. And tonight, I plan to let her in on a little secret that I hope will help her trust my intentions. I want her to see that Cat and I aren’t just trying things out. She needs to understand that we’re building a life together and she’s at the center of it.

  Holding Cat in my arms, I spin so we’re facing our daughter. “Hey, Chlo, what’s the best dance to pair with chips?”

  Cat groans beside me, but Chloe’s eyes light up. She’s loving my jokes. Not going to lie, I’m kind of awesome at the dad thing.

  “Salsa,” I say as I spin Cat out. I curl my wrist and pop my hip, doing my best salsa impression. “Olé!”

  Chloe giggles, and despite her best efforts, Cat beams.

  Yeah, I’m awesome.

  “Del hasn’t stopped talking about Chloe’s Sienna Langfield dress,” Dexter says, arching an accusatory brow in my direction.

  I chuckle and hold up my hands. “Sorry, man. I have over a decade to make up for.”

  He slaps my shoulder and gives it a squeeze. “It’s good to see them both so happy.”

  “What was it like—” I cut myself off and shake my head. I’m not sure why I’m going there.

  Dexter scans the crowd until he spots our daughters dancing in the middle of the gym. We’ve been relegated to the outskirts of the space with the rest of the dads. “I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Watching Cat struggle when she found out she was pregnant and you just up and vanished…it was brutal,” he says gruffly.

  I blink back the emotion that pricks at the backs of my eyes at the memory of Cat’s voice mails. All thirty-two of them.

  He clears his throat. “I’m not sure what happened back then, and it’s none of my business, but I can see that you’re trying. Hard. And in the end, that’s all that matters.”

  I close my eyes. “I’ll never stop trying.”

  “Good.”

  Giggles draw our attention to the girls bouncing in front of us. “Dad,” Del says, “will you dance with me?”

  Dexter brings his hand to his heart and smiles. It’s obvious he’s a great dad. “Never thought you’d ask,” he says, holding out his hand to his daughter. They weave their way to the dance floor, where dozens of daddy-daughter duos awkwardly shuffle in circles.

  Holding out my hand, I look at my daughter. “What do you say, kiddo? Shall we show them how it’s done?”

  Chloe’s eyes light up and she giggles. When she takes my hand, I spin her into my chest, garnering a delighted laugh that makes my chest feel tight. I may have missed the first twelve years of her life, but from here on out, she’ll never wonder how I feel. Through actions, words, and time, I’ll give her everything she deserves.

  I let her lead me to the center of the dance floor, and when we’re in place, I nod to the DJ I made sure to chat up when the night began, and mid-song, the music changes. The familiar Temptations song echoes through the cavernous space, and I swear every dad in the place is smiling and every girl is giggling as they dance along to “My Girl.” I dance like a goofball and tug Chloe into my chest. As we sway, I tell her exactly how I feel—like my life is finally brighter—by singing the lyrics to my girl.

  56

  FEELS LIKE BY GRACIE ABRAMS

  Cat

  “I think my ovaries might burst,” I chirp with a smile permanently plastered to my face.

  Sophie holds her phone so we can both watch the video Dexter sent moments ago. Front and center, Jay dances and sings to our daughter. It’s seriously doing things to me.

  “Told you Daddies were hot,” Sophie teases.

  I don’t even have it in me to fight her. “That really wasn’t what I thought you meant, Soph. But yeah, you were right. I’ve been missing out.”

  Watching Jay tackle fatherhood like he would tackle any other project, including winning me over—with determination, a smile, and confidence that he’ll get what he wants—has been amazing. Every day, he shows up for us both.

  Songs sent to our iPods. Breakfast in the office. Afternoons with Chloe, where they do God only knows what while I finish the day at work. Evenings spent making dinner—Jay, not me; I still haven’t mastered the art of cooking—dancing in the kitchen, then snuggled on the couch with Chloe tucked between us, watching America’s Next Top Model or America’s Got Talent. Sometimes Jeopardy.

  Stolen kisses, quiet, excruciatingly perfect sex, followed by soft kisses as Jay leaves me wanting forever to start now.

  I never anticipated being the one to beg to make this all official, but all I want is for him to move in so we can move forward. I’m not sure what’s holding us back now. The fake dating is over, and we’ve publicly announced our relationship, but he’s yet to mention the next step.

  And now he’s at a daddy-daughter dance with Chloe, wearing a damn suit that makes my thighs clench and a smile so full of love as he gazes at our daughter. That alone has my heart doing somersaults.

  “It’s good to see you so happy,” Sophie murmurs.

  I blow out a breath. “I just wish my brothers weren’t suffering.” Guilt eats at me, because while I’m experiencing so much joy, they continue to spiral.

  I’ve been working on rolling out ideas for the merger, but Cash is sinking further into depression. Jay and I met with him this week to tell him about my idea to throw a party to announce the merger, and for a moment, pride flashed in my brother’s eyes as he looked at me. We’ve never worked together, and therefore, I’ve never experienced how it feels to have his approval.

  But as soon as he caught Jay squeezing my thigh, the light left his eyes, and the pride was replaced by hatred.

  My brother, my best friend, despises me. He believes I’m an idiot for falling for Jay.

  He doesn’t know him, and I’m partly to blame for that. I hid what Jay meant to me back then, and now it’s almost impossible to explain our connection.

  Too many years have passed.

  Too many secrets remain.

  And it’s the only thing that keeps me from being truly happy.

  How can I feel such joy when my brothers are all falling apart?

  “They’ll come around when they see who Jay really is,” she comforts.

  And that’s what ultimately allows me to sink into my joy. I can trust Jay. Sophie sees who he really is too. As does Cynthia. If she didn’t, she’d never allow him near our daughter, no matter that he’s her father.

  The people who really know Jay see how real our love is.

  As for Cash, all I can do is wait for him to dig himself out of his depression. He needs to see Grace for who she really is, or he needs to move on. I can’t do those things for him any more than Sophie or Cynthia could have healed my heart all those years ago.

  There’s a reason I never moved on, and that reason is holding our daughter close and dancing before me on the tiny screen, lighting a fire in my belly and easing the ache in my heart.

  From: CJames@Jolie.com

  To: JHanson@jolie.com

  October 24, 2022

  Subject: I miss you

  Jay,

  I wish you and Chloe could have come to Fashion Week. I miss you both so much. Show her these pictures of Sienna’s latest designs. God, that woman is a freaking genius. And Lucy Montgomery even made an appearance. Her designs are to die for. I want her in our spring edition.

  I love you.

  Cat

  From: JHanson@jolie.com

  To: CJames@jolie.com

  October 25, 2022

  Subject: Re: I miss you

  Kitten,

  Come outside. I brought you a surprise.

  Love you.

  Hovering over the mockup for next month’s edition, I comb through page after page, racking my brain for what’s missing. My mind is still buzzing with ideas days after Fashion Week. And they aren’t all work-related ones. Spending a few days away from Chloe and Jay was much harder than I anticipated. I’ve spent the better part of the last decade alone, but after only a few weeks with Chloe full time and dinners with Jay most nights—and quality time in bed at night—I’ve gotten used to the noise. The quiet was impossibly lonely.

  Then Jay went and stole another piece of my heart when he flew Chloe to New York to surprise me for the weekend. Sitting at a fashion show with her, hearing her thoughts on every design, will never get old. And Jay’s take on every outfit never disappointed. He had both of us giggling as he told us how the lines of a design were so amazing or later at night when he walked the “catwalk” of our hotel room, proving that he could model better than what we’d witnessed hours earlier.

  We ate at an upscale restaurant and clinked glasses of champagne while Chloe gave us her critique of every dessert. The following night, we went from one pizza place to the next, trying a slice at every stop until we declared a winner. It was the perfect weekend with my two favorite people.

  “Maybe we could get a few quotes from Sienna,” I suggest to one of our copy editors. “The story is missing heart. Her designs are gorgeous, but our readers want to know why she became a designer rather than going into the family business. They’d be more interested in what she had to give up and whether the sacrifice was worth it.”

  Her story speaks to me at a cellular level. There aren’t many women who have done what she’s done. Who have forgone the easy path and forged their own. Sienna could have had any position she wanted in her family business, but sports didn’t interest her.

  And she didn’t use her family’s money to build her career like many suspect. Yet her business skyrocketed anyway. There’s a story there. What did Sienna have to do to get to where she is?

  “You’re right. Although I’m not sure how quickly we can get an interview scheduled on such short notice.”

  “Pretty sure she’ll agree if the editor in chief of Jolie calls her,” Jay says from where he’s propped himself up in the doorway. His arms are folded across his chest and his expression is unreadable. In his black suit with the white shirt unbuttoned at the collar, he looks like sin.

  “I can have Cynthia call,” I agree.