ed. "I didn't realize you were hiding a little f

ay next to so many large men." She reached for

ting their fathers' a

"Slade left today." Feeling like a thoughtless heel, she sat up. "Oh, Sawyer,

hteen years with them is enough. I wished him luck, gave him some sage advice ab

pose it's different

" she a

y shared. Although her mother's memory wasn't one she hoped to replace, in another ten years she'd have accumulate

womb felt like. The love, the worry, the secrets

her mother. You do everything a mother and

s that she'll eventually forget our mom a

ng woman, confiding in you, asking your advice, and perhaps giving you some of her ow

"One can only imagine what sort of advice a girl like Toni might give in ti

"You call her Toni? I always assume

Annie. To the rest of

mentioning Toni remind him of her age as well? There was nothing inappropriate about thei

t they'd run out of topics to discuss. Her liquor soaked mind seemed to be d

d at his watch. "I sh

ing unnamable in his stare, something that hadn't been ther

sa

t the bar. If I drink it alone I co

f back into the seat. "I can'

f her suspected he was drinking to spare her from alcohol poisoning. If she had fini

she squinted through th

scotch,

ul brand.

out of the shadows, hunting for numbers. Her eyes struggled

was at the bar, she sear

hi

d his chair and moved right behind her. Sucking in a breath, she stared up at hi

that bottle,

n. Her balance seemed off, but it hadn't been a second ago. Pro

owly shaking his head. "Son of a bitch

hy

only a few left in existence. The last time someone auctioned a

one b

t wasn't your fath

maybe the better word was drunk, but she couldn't muster a bit of concern

They had no choice but to drink it. All evidence must be destroy

her toast. "Isadora," he said slowly lowering his untouched glass to the bar. "Perh

and her sister's footsteps precede

o his. "I only need to thank Shamus and

e chance. Leaving the study door open a crack, she hustled

ou hav

two banana splits made like flambé and they cooke

nock it off. Besides, the moment Antoinette introduced herself

ingly over his sleeve and he stil

cing in his eyes, he whisp

ready felt unusually warm. "I mig

he said, "Okay, brat, I'm taking off. Why don't you head up to bed so your si

d nodded obediently. "Goodnight, Isa." Her arms wrapped around Is

but he only winked. Her hand rested

ms around him with enough force to make him grunt.

brat.

s and Isadora turned back to h

e up so much for their younger siblings. I also might have promised her we could go

'm amazed she listened to you.

s at her age. Teenagers suck and she's going to be a challenging one. I

all counts. "Well, thank y

ime. I'll see you

him to the door, smiling

ght than so many others. Toni was quiet in her room, right where she was supposed

y get to bed before three in the morning tonight. The house was silent

slipped out the back door while she was preoccupied. Wow, she definitely had too muc

ee, staring into an empty glass. Her excitement that he hadn't left was inexplicable. He was like a h

her as she lingered at the thre

k," she

stare seeming totally undistrac