Catalina Island ba

on that half-abandoned island? The Sinclairs

fish off his line, glanced at it, then tossed it st

th that rarely moved, and a pair of lazy, hooded eyes that gave nothing away. A single da

an Cole read as untouchable

in his fingers, not bothering t

nd Sebastian eventually learned things, that there was a woman Sebastian had

Sinclairs' real daughter h

ebastian was still t

to bring it up when Sebastian's

arely, but Miles caught it. "Some

something unreadable

in Crestview, Naomi was already parked outs

r behind her brother. She was still finishing her final year of kindergarten and wouldn't move up to

indergarten gate when Chloe's voice carried o

ahead I'll be handling pick

dress that looked like it belonged on a runway, effor

ke into a run, backpack bou

ween them. "Usually it's Julian's m

"Not my mom," he said, very seriously. "Tha

inking his real mother was some p

oe that was the kind o

's ears from across the lot. She went stil

quick, calculating before she let it settle into

the pickup authorization be

with losing this particular fight. And sti

rs of careful attention would end with h

Mo

roke through, s

ng over one shoulder, curls windblown, chin lifted with that same unbothered c

er son had turned into,

xc

cheek, and had just opened her mouth to ask what

Lily

er daughter. Lily looke

crying boy's mother got there

"Because I pulled

't started anything she'd stepped in to stop

ely matter-of-fact. "Next

erself. Her daughter looked entir

t hurt in a fight like that. And hitting isn't ho

gs over with the other mother when a f

me on Catalina Island, away from a proper environment, it's affected Lily a little. Cuttin

eyed Lily's croppe

on't like Lily acting like this either. She'

air who throws punch

Lily beat her to it, voice fl

thief for his mother do

esides. Mom says nobody gets to decide wh

clearly never had anyone tal

nk it's healthy to let her talk like that. I know you grew up without mu

Chloe. She stood up for another kid who was being bullied. I don't know what the correct mold for a li

n. The years of home-cooked porridge, the trips to Catalina she'd offered him f

something aching and disapp

hloe more. You're the one who talks back to me and tunes me out, all for her. Why wou

rown deepen

I'm her son. And Aunt Chloe's just better than her that's not favori

her son along by the hand. He'd stopped cryin

," he announced. "Lily's not w

apparently, Naomi tho

lanced curiously between Chloe and Julian. "Are

eparated," Naomi said simply.

u're the nanny. Well, in that case, you might want to stay out of your employer's business