I wondered if Roxanne remembered how she'd taught me to use makeup. Heat flooded me. Elon wouldn't care about small details like that. “Then I need to call her and thank her.”

  “Of course.” He nodded.

  I rocked on my feet, and my heart beat faster. I’d never been this nervous near him, but we needed to talk about how money couldn't buy love. I clutched my hands together and instead asked, “Did you pick out the stuff in the house or did she?”

  He closed the cellar doors with a push of a button, nodded, and talked above the noise. “I did.”

  When the hatch was fully closed, it was quieter. “I wanted to live someplace that reflects me without labels, but I always felt most at home in the Virgin Cove beach house.”

  He walked me to a stairwell. I assumed he’d show me where he kept his wine, but I didn’t ask. “Me too. It was my favorite of your family homes.”

  Our shoulders bumped as we descended some steps. At the bottom, he said, “You look nice.”

  “Thanks. The slacks honestly feel soft, and it’s different from my normal hiding in jeans.”

  I was babbling. That wasn’t like me. and I wasn’t getting to my point at all.

  He laughed and opened a door for me. “Well, you can wear whatever you want, so don’t feel pressured because of me.”

  Inside there were huge stainless steel barrels much bigger than the wooden ones I’d imagined stored wine.

  I gazed around, but neither of us moved. “I don’t stress over your opinion of me.” I needed to bring up the issue of his money. Instead I coughed and asked, “So what were you doing before I joined you?”

  “I was pressing grapes.”

  The huge machine turned grapes into wine. I tilted my head and smiled. “Do you have something like in a movie where you can do that with your feet?”

  He laughed. “We can if you want. I’m sure I can find a barrel.”

  I had no idea why I was so nervous that I was asking about silly things. I imagined myself falling face first into a vat of crushed grapes. “I don’t want to turn purple today. So how does this whole operation you have work?”

  He tapped one of the containers, and we walked to a machine. He loaded some crushed grapes. “This is stainless steel, which is my personal preference for how to make wine.”

  He set a wine bottle on a tray and pressed a button on a nearby vat. We watched the machine pour wine into a bottle. “So you just hit a button?”

  “Yeah.” His face was red “After I check all my ingredients are in correctly.”

  “Oh. Seems hands-off.” I squeezed my eyes shut. I needed to get myself under control. Nerves ruined careers and probably ruined real-life plans too. My heart was racing, and I didn’t need it to do that.

  I backed toward the door as I realized we might be in a room with no windows. He took the bottle from a belt and got two glasses. I pointed for us to go up the stairs.

  He nodded, and I took the glasses from him as we slipped upstairs.

  As we did, I glanced at his profile and realized how handsome Elon was. At twenty, he’d been fit but thin, but now he was all muscle. His shoulders were still broad and his waist trim, creating a V-shape. But it was the kindness in those blue-green eyes of his that had haunted me for years.

  My lips tingled to kiss him.

  I took a deep breath, and my heart pounded. I was babbling because I was attracted to him. I shouldn’t be. Hopefully, he had no idea of my thoughts.

  “Well, I use my hands for delivering babies," Elon said. "So with automation of the grapes, I’m not so worried about my patient.”

  Outside the air smelled sweet. I took a few deep breaths, and he led me to a small table and some chairs on the other side of the building. We sat. “It’s great you became a doctor, just like you said you would.”

  He poured a glass of wine for me and then for himself. “You’d have made a good doctor, as you’re caring.”

  I clasped the glass. “I’m good as I am. I don’t need that kind of pressure.”

  He held his glass up. I swallowed and reminded myself Elon was capable of making my dreams for Sam, where he was safe and loved and seen for who he was, come true. I relaxed and decided to table the discussion about money. Elon had not made any crazy purchases today, and I hated to ruin the good mood.

  Once we clinked glasses, he said, “So I’m hosting a benefit for women’s health.”

  “Yeah?” I sipped his offering. The wine tasted smooth and delicious. I wasn’t sure how he'd done it.

  He folded his hands on the table. “I’d like your help.”

  “I’m not a party planner.” I took another sip. At events, I usually hid in a corner.

  “Maddie’s handling it as that's one of the reasons I hired her.”

  I tilted my head as memories of a local girl from Virgin Cove came to mind. “Arman’s Maddie?”

  “The same.”

  I smiled. “I was always surprised he liked her.”

  “Why?”

  I finished my wine and put the glass down between us like a barrier. “Because she wasn’t that different from me, class wise.”

  He finished his wine and laughed. “You thought we were snobs.”

  I shrugged. “You always demanded perfection.”

  He winced like I’d slapped him. “I was a sullen asshole as a teenager. I honestly don’t know what you saw in me.“

  I patted his knee. “You might beat yourself up more than I do.”

  His phone beeped. He stood and offered his hand. “Come, let’s go pick up Sam together.”

  I stood without taking his offered hand. He froze but kept silent. We headed toward the limo, and I didn’t object. Going together to collect Sam would make a statement. I wanted Sam to fit in like a king at his new school and in his new life.

  Once we were inside the limo, I had the crazy urge to kiss Elon. I shook it off and sat back. On the drive to school, I said, “You probably don’t remember…”

  “What?” he asked when my voice trailed off. He playfully bumped my shoulder.

  I sighed. “In high school, a group of jocks and their girlfriends all loved to point out how I didn’t belong in that school and that I was… the hired help.”

  He rubbed the top of his head. “I don’t remember.”

  “Well, you wrapped your arms around me in the hall and said I was special and sweet.”

  “I did?” His voice cracked.

  That moment was a life changer. It was also when Elon had become my hero. We’d played together as children, but that was the moment I realized what a big crush I had on him. I nodded. “You did, and the bullying stopped, but I liked being invisible as that was safe.”

  “You were never invisible to me, Clarissa.”

  His words broke through a steel barrier I’d had around my heart, which was hammering. I prayed my feelings weren't written on my face. “So what do you need me to do for the party?”

  He sat back, and the air between us still sizzled. It was like I’d been lost in a desert without him. Or maybe the air only sizzled around me, because he didn’t seem affected. “Maddie’s asking a lot of questions. Direct her as you probably know more about how a Norouzi fundraiser works than anyone else I have in my corner right now.”

  I raised one eyebrow. “I’m in your corner?”

  He pressed his hand over his heart. “Aren’t you?”

  I laughed. “Okay, I’ll do it.”

  “That’s my girl.”

  No. I wasn’t a girl, and I wasn’t his. When I had been his girl, I’d gotten pregnant with the most precious person in the world, and we were on our way to get him.

  Kissing Elon wouldn't be smart, but then again I’d never really been smart. Luckily, he’d never know how much I still wanted him.

  8

  Clarissa

  The ride home consisted mostly of Sam telling us about his teachers and his thoughts on the lunch, the lunchroom, the other children, and the snacks in the classroom.

  Sam loved the fruit that the school provided with lunch. I thought nutritious food helped him focus. Elon asked Sam tons of questions, delving so deep he even asked about the cheese on Sam's sandwich.

  Honestly, Elon and Sam had more in common than I realized. I’d forgotten how Elon used to talk about lunch on our way home from school as though It had been the best part of the day.

  When we stepped out of the limo, I gazed up at the two-story house, and my heart shifted. Elon was stable and a doctor, and whoever he married would have a long driveway and a helipad and a backyard that led to the beach.

  Elon and Sam walked inside. I needed to ensure no one separated them.

  My stomach twisted at the idea of another woman living here.

  I stepped inside the house after Elon and Sam just as Elon’s phone rang. He answered the call then held up a finger. “This is a consult about a patient. Would you mind? She’s having birth complications.”

  “Go,” I said quickly. Elon helped people, and giving birth was hard. I’d cried through my lonely childbirth.

  I walked Sam to the kitchen where he was to do his homework. Elon was in the next room, and I could hear him speaking about a patient.

  Once I set up Sam at the table, the doorbell rang. I stepped out of the dining hall, went to Elon, heard him say something about "contractions one minute apart," and silently mouthed, “Who's at the door?”

  He hit Mute on his phone. “Security let whoever it is through.”

  If Hunter had found me, I was dead. He could probably have talked his way through security. I tensed and swallowed. “I’ll get it. You help the woman in distress.”

  He stared at me and nodded. “I’ll stand right here watching you.”

  I believed he’d help me if I needed help. My face heated. “You don’t…” I relaxed my shoulders and said, “Thanks.”

  I marched through the house to the door, knowing my fear was probably unfounded. The door camera showed a blond, blue-eyed, super-tall guy I knew was a year younger than Elon and me. I smiled and opened the door. “Charles? Is that you?”

  “Charlie, like you used to call me.” He reached around my waist, hugged me, and I giggled. The last time I’d seen him, he’d been skinny and had pimples. He put me down. “I flew in and wanted to see if it was true that you were here with Elon. Welcome back, Clarissa.”

  Elon craned his neck, trying to see who was at the door. “Are you okay, Clarissa?”

  I threw open the door so Elon could see his little brother. “Of course.”

  Elon's brother stepped into the house, and I patted his shoulder. “Charlie, you’ve gotten… swoll, as my son would say.”

  He glanced around. “Where is my nephew?”

  I waved him past Elon, who was still on the phone. The brothers greeted each other with nods and smiles. When Charlie and I got to the dining room, I waved to get my son's attention. “Sam, you can stop your homework for a few minutes.”

  He put his pencil down. “Who's this?”

  Elon came into the room, having finished his call. “Sam, this is your Uncle Charlie.”

  Sam jumped up. “Are you Elon’s brother?”

  “I’m one of them.” Charlie shook Sam's hand. He went down on one knee. “I’m a pilot, and my flight just got in. I headed here for the day.”

  Sam’s eyes widened. “That must be so cool.”

  Elon tucked his phone in his back pocket. Charlie and Sam put their heads together and laughed about something. They seemed oblivious to anyone else in the room.

  I playfully elbowed Elon. “Sam’s trading you in for your brother.”

  He placed his hand on my back and whispered, “I heard what you said to Charlie, and I was jealous.”

  “What did I say?”

  “Swoll,” he said with a frown.

  I laughed and cupped his face. His brother was cute but absolutely not my type. As a kid, Charlie had had a lot of friends. In high school, he’d traded in a girl a day, possibly two. Flirting as much as he did would be overwhelming. Charlie still reminded me of a kid. Elon was a man, though. “Elon, you’re even more handsome than I remembered.”

  He met my gaze and asked in a low tone, “So you’d still pick me?”

  “Every time.” I felt heat rush to my face.

  I was saying way too much way too quickly. Sure, I was drawn to the illusion that I could have a life with Elon, but I knew I wasn’t going to end up with him. It was a crazy, dangerous illusion. I wondered if I needed to bolt out the door to protect my heart from another break.

  Charlie asked loudly, “Are they flirting over there?”

  “I hope so,” Sam said.

  The top of my head to the soles of my feet burned as everyone stared at me. I wasn’t in costume, but I was pretending. Sam deserved to be here, but I had to prevent myself at all costs from falling back in love with Elon.

  Elon asked, “So, Charlie, I thought you were flying coast-to-coast for that airline.”

  Charlie bobbed up and down, clearly still full of energy. “Usually, but I traded for another route. Maman is planning to visit you or for you to go to Virgin Cove immediately.”

  I envisioned helping guide Sam into his new life and maybe enjoy the company of Elon and his family without having to deal with my parents’ icy stares. I lifted my chin. “This weekend is okay to go to Virgin Cove… if….”

  Elon quickly whispered, “They’re gone.”

  He’d read my mind.

  Charlie tapped his brother on the back. “Text Maman right away, Elon.”

  “On it,” Elon said and sent a message.

  The closest thing I had to a home was the staff quarters of that house in Virgin Cove.

  Elon motioned to the wine, and Charlie nodded happily. “So, seeing you two together is great. Jeff was suspicious that Clarissa might turn out to be the mysterious Regina.”

  Elon poured wine for the adults and offered Sam a bottle of water. My head swiveled as I looked from one brother to the other. “Who's Regina?”

  Elon handed me a glass of wine. “Some blogger who got something on Warren and caused him some trouble.”

  If anyone in the Norouzi family would grow angel wings, it was Warren. I sipped my wine. “Warren, of all people?”

  “Yeah,” Elon said with a huff I interpreted as total agreement.

  Charlie asked, “Why did you disappear on us, Clarissa?”

  I winced.

  Elon stood taller. “Don’t stress her out.”

  My hero, again. There wasn't an easy answer to that question.

  Charlie pressed his hands to his heart. “I’d never want to do that. I just assumed you were now on track to be the next one getting married, Elon.”

  “Stop.” I wasn’t about to let myself imagine some wedding with myself as the bride walking toward Elon.

  He hadn't wanted me years ago and probably wasn’t into me now. We were working together to ensure Sam was ingrained as a Norouzi. That was all.

  Elon said, “You heard her. Back off.”

  Oh, he had no idea how he hot he was when he stood up for me.

  Charlie smiled. “Sorry. I’m putting my foot in my mouth a lot today. I mean it would be great to have you in the family, Clarissa. I missed your sisterly way of steering me away from the wrong women.”

  I laughed. It was impossible to be angry with him for long. “I don’t believe you ever stayed away from any of them.”

  He put his hands in his pockets. “But it turned out you were usually right, and then you were just gone, leaving me to fend for myself.”

  “I’m sure you were fine,” I said.

  Sam tugged my arm. “What did you do, Mom?”

  Charlie answered for me. “She tried to remind me I was a good person, though she picked the quietest of us.”

  Elon was pretty much the hottest man I’d ever met and the only one who had never tried to shape me into something I wasn’t.

  “Elon wasn’t quiet," I said. "He was reserved. Now he’s a responsible doctor.”

  “Who wants a wife and children,” Charlie said.

  My entire body felt drained. “What?”

  Elon’s face turned bright red. “It’s true I want to get married and have children—one day. Maman raised us to value family.”

  “Sam is your family,” I snapped, and then my stomach knotted.

  No one said anything. Heat rose in my body.

  Charlie finished his wine. “Well, someone show me to my room, so we can all hit the pool.”

  It was left unspoken that Elon could have whatever he wanted. It was his birthright, after all. I sipped from my glass.

  Elon said, “Take any room on the right side, second floor.”

  Sam gazed at me. “I’ll change for swimming too.”

  I nodded. “We’re all going.”

  Charlie and Sam ran out of the room, like both of them were kids.

  Elon put down his full glass of wine. “Don’t let what Charlie said bother you.”

  My soul had always been drawn to Elon’s calm reserve. It was one of his best characteristics and why I should have called him years ago to tell him about Sam.

  He was the best man I’d ever met. I put down my still-full glass. “Oh, I remember how Charlie never had a filter. Don’t worry. I am curious, though.”

  Elon waited until we were walking up the stairs to our bedrooms to ask, “Curious about what?”

  I chewed on my bottom lip. I hated gossiping, but what Charlie had said seemed improbable. I swallowed. “Curious about Warren. Your brother is super considerate and goes out of his way to be kind. I can’t imagine him ever doing anything wrong. What would a blogger have on him?”

  “He fell in love with a woman getting a divorce, and you know how the tabloids like to write about rich people as destroyers of marriages. It was a big deal spun out of nothing.”

  “Whoever she is, she must be special.” I kept my opinion about Warren having high morals to myself.

  We made it to the top of the stairs. Elon's lips thinned. “Don’t make me jealous again, Clarissa.”

  I laughed again. “You’re the only Norouzi I've ever kissed, and I’d never want a guy who was perfect all the time. Meet you out there.”