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  “You don’t get to have that autonomy you love so much.”

  Tate chuckled. “Why is that when I tell you I like things a certain way, you call it autonomy, but everyone else calls me a control freak?”

  Teri-Lyn patted his hand. “Because everyone doesn’t know you like I do.”

  “I’m sorry I didn’t invite you to the awards show. I honestly didn’t think I would win.” He hunched his shoulders.

  “I knew you would. I like that new fusion rock ’n’ roll, pop, and country music sound you tried. It mixed things up for you.”

  Tate laughed, shaking his head. “Really? I didn’t think you’d like it.”

  Teri-Lyn put her hand on her hip. “I can’t be contemporary and with it? I’m a down-home country girl with a lot of layers. I like all types of music. When Jake’s not listening to you, he likes jazz. We dance to it sometimes.”

  Tate’s eyes widened. “I apologize for pigeonholing you.”

  Teri-Lyn played with her fork. “You’re my son. I love you. You could play the triangle while singing a song and I’d think it was gold. I know it wasn’t your usual stuff, but Tate McGill shined through on that song.”

  “Thanks, Momma.” Tate smiled.

  “So why was that fast little girl all over you during the performance?”

  “That’s the million-dollar question. She was giving me flirty looks all week. I kept my eyes averted to the sun.”

  “Besides being obviously too young, not your type?”

  Tate hoped his mouth hadn’t fallen open at the question. “Um, yes and no.”

  Teri-Lyn pushed a piece of tomato around her plate. “You know I never did talk to you boys about…women. John Jacob had that talk about the birds and the bees with you, but I think maybe I could have provided some input on the emotional side of love. You know, from a woman’s perspective.”

  Tate cleared his throat. As old as he was, he still wasn’t ready for this conversation. “I think he covered all the bases in his talk.”

  “I see.” She shifted in her chair. “Is there another reason why you’ve never had a steady girlfriend?”

  Tate forced a laugh, trying to lighten the mood. “I haven’t found the right one yet.”

  “I just want you to find love and be happy. To build the kind of relationship like your father and I have took a lot of dedication and devotion. You won’t find us on the cover of a romance novel, but real love was there from the beginning. Sturdy, unyielding. But warm and gentle too.”

  Tate leaned forward. “I would be a lucky man if I could experience love the way the two of you have. Daddy said, ‘Don’t tell a woman you love her if you can’t put your heart and soul into it.’ I’ve been mindful of that.”

  “Good.” Teri-Lyn smiled.

  They spent the rest of the meal talking about his travels and the goings-on at the ranch. When he mentioned that Seth had asked him to watch Jake in a few weeks, Teri-Lyn smiled but didn’t comment. Poor Jake, it had to be daunting being the first Blake grandchild. Half the things Teri-Lyn had purchased today were for him. Heaven help her if she had more than one. Every man in the family knew that once Seth married and started a family, Teri-Lyn would be lurking in the bushes with her love cattle prod, but surprisingly she wasn’t overbearing about it. It may have been J.J.’s current issues with Eden—which no one talked about—that had made her ease up and let them find love on their own terms.

  * * *

  Isabelle was pleased with herself. She’d unpacked all of her things despite having a broken arm and was still ahead of schedule. She’d found her fancy black dress among the boxes that she could wear to Dana’s wedding but thought about buying something new. She’d worn the dress to an event that Ned’s company had given last year.

  Everything she touched in her closet reminded her of something they’d done together. She looked around at the furniture she had, and they were all her favorite pieces salvaged from the divorce. Ned’s butt print was on the right cushion on the love seat. Once he’d settled in for the night, he wouldn’t move out of the seat for six hours or more. The end table still had the stain where he’d spilled a hot toddy one Christmas and took his time cleaning it up.

  The room began to feel stifling and haunted. She’d tried to escape by moving, but she’d brought the past with her.

  Isabelle fired up her laptop and searched for the nearest donation center. After finding one that advertised free pickup, she dialed the number and a bubbly lady answered the phone.

  “Good Missions Donations, Calanadra speaking.”

  “Hello, Calanadra. My name is Isabelle, and I have some things I’d like to donate.” She looked around the room. “Actually a whole apartment that needs to be donated.”

  “Well, we do have guidelines. We love generous donations, but we don’t have enough staff to move a whole apartment, sorry.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Sorry, it’s policy.”

  Isabelle put her head down on the desk so hard she banged it. “Ouch!”

  “Ma’am, are you OK?” Calanadra said.

  “No, I’m not. I just moved out of my dream house because of my cheating ex-husband. I used to have a garden. I used to grow tomatoes and squash. I practiced my violin. Now all I see when I look around is the ghost of the jerk who uprooted my life.” She sniffed. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I just told you all of that.”

  “Ms.…Isabelle?” Calanadra said.

  “Isabelle is fine.” She blew a curly lock of hair out of her face.

  “Isabelle it is. I was just looking over our manifest, and I think we do have time for a full day of removing cheating husband crap. How about I have my people there first thing in the morning?”

  “Are you doing this because I just had an embarrassing breakdown on the phone?” Isabelle laughed and wiped the tears away from her eyes.

  “No, you sound like a nice lady, and I think everyone deserves a fresh start without the ghosts of assholes past.”

  “Thank you.” She smiled.

  Two hours later Isabelle sat on her loveseat with a cup of tea for the last time. Sure, it would have been cathartic to set it on fire, but the arson charge would be a bad look for her career. She could see the headlines now: Scorned Violinist for the Madison Symphony Orchestra Sets Blaze. She didn’t need one more thing for people to think she’d completely lost it.

  Isabelle opened the violin case and looked at her baby. It had been too many days since she’d been able to play it. She’d had to resort to listening to the orchestra’s tracks on her iPod. Music had always been a comfort to her. She’d played for hours those lonely nights when she waited for Ned to come home. She’d played through her pain and was able to find some joy in it. She closed the case, secured the locks, and set it by her bags. Tomorrow, after the donation center left with the last piece of her past, she was out of there. It may have been earlier than she’d told Morgan she’d arrive, but Morgan wouldn’t mind. Isabelle took a sticky note and walked to her mantel, which held a picture of her and Morgan when they were kids. She scribbled Do Not Remove and attached the note before she set off to bed. When she returned from Philadelphia, she would have a challenge ahead: to build a new life for herself.

  Chapter Three

  Tate arrived in Philadelphia a few days before Morgan and Seth were to leave for their vacation to give Morgan some time to get acclimated to leaving Jake. He knew Seth was itching to get away after his announcement and spend some time with his wife.

  Tate had his doubts that Seth could get her out of the house without it turning into a scene from a Shakespearean play, but Seth was confident. Jake, who had been stapled to Tate’s side since he’d arrived, was nonplussed by the situation. Tate, Seth, and Jake looked on as Morgan went back to the bedroom for the seventh time to retrieve something she’d supposedly forgotten.

  “How long does she do this?” Tate raised an eyebrow.

  “It’s normally a half hour, but since this pregnancy, it’s been shaved d
own to fifteen minutes.” Seth laughed.

  “Is there anything that I can say to make her feel better about leaving Jake with me? It’s not like I haven’t watched him before.” Tate pulled Jake into his arms. “We are going to have a good time, Jake. I thought we’d call up a few women and have a wild party.”

  “Or,” Morgan said as she marched into the foyer and handed Tate a list, “you can each have a juice box and he gets read a story every night.”

  Tate looked at the list in disbelief. Jake’s social calendar was almost as vigorous as his. “What the heck is Doodles the Bear?”

  Morgan leaned in and glanced at the list. “It’s a television show he likes to watch. It’s very educational. You don’t have to watch it every day, but try to get it in twice this week. Oh, and Sydney will be picking him up on Tuesday. She’s having a portrait done of all the grandkids and will have him for most of the day. Despite what your brother has told you, his diet isn’t jalapeno poppers and beer. Please get him to eat his veggies.”

  “Don’t forget to put on the Sports Network from four to five, he likes to get the stats,” Seth added.

  Tate looked up and saw Seth smirking as Morgan went down the list, which had fifty things on it.

  Tate put his arm around her. “Morgan, honey, Uncle Tate has it covered. I used to babysit your husband.”

  Morgan rolled her eyes. “You’re the same age.”

  “He was a handful in high school.”

  “Hey!” Seth said.

  “Oh yeah?” Morgan crossed her arms over her chest. “Where were you when he was kidnapped by those cheerleaders?”

  “I was elsewhere, working on getting into the girls’ locker room on my own accord.” Tate laughed. “OK, I did babysit Tyler and Channing on occasion and look how well they turned out.”

  Morgan covered Jake’s ears. “Randy and Horny? I’ll be lucky if I come back and he doesn’t have a tattoo.”

  “Not even a small one of a flaming guitar?” Tate waggled his eyebrows.

  Morgan glared at him. “Oh. There are a few neighbors you should avoid in the lobby. Mrs. McAllister keeps trying to set Jake up on playdates with her granddaughter.”

  “What’s wrong with that?”

  “The little girl drools a little too much for me, and she’s always trying to kiss him.”

  Tate and Seth looked at each other.

  “So it’s the kissing part you don’t like, right? The boy can’t help that he’s cute as a button.” Tate suppressed a smile.

  “You and the MVP are used to groupies, but my son has a long way to go before fending off loose women.” Morgan glared at Tate.

  “I promise you Jake will have all his fingers and toes and will be very happy when you return.” Tate gave her a squeeze.

  “I know. I just like to feel like I covered all the bases.” Morgan rubbed her belly and turned to Seth. “Babe, I’m hungry.”

  Seth held up a big sack and kissed her. “I packed some snacks. That should tide you over until we get to the airport.”

  “You two get out of here and have a good time.” Tate kissed Morgan on the cheek.

  Morgan smooched on Jake for another ten minutes before she and Seth finally left. When Morgan and Seth walked out the door, Jake simply waved good-bye and put his head on Tate’s shoulder. In addition to the things on the list, he planned to take Jake to the zoo and the toy store. He and Jake went into the living room, where they continued working on the cabin they were making from his building blocks.

  “Uncle Tate, juice!”

  “How ’bout we get some lunch to go with that juice?”

  When Jake nodded his head and smiled, Tate’s heart melted.

  * * *

  The first couple of days went smoothly. Tate was impressed that Jake followed his schedule without being told what to do. Seth had given his house staff the two weeks off at Tate’s request.

  Tate had Jake ready to go when Morgan’s stepmother, Sydney, arrived to pick him up Tuesday morning.

  “Hi, Sydney.” Tate gladly accepted the big bear hug she had ready for him when she came through the door. They’d gotten acquainted at Jake’s birthday party and had even line danced together.

  “Hi, handsome. I brought you some mac and cheese.” She handed him the dish.

  Tate rubbed his belly. Sydney’s mac and cheese had been a hit at the birthday party. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Thank you so much.”

  “I want you to come to the house and have dinner with us while you’re here.”

  “It’s a date.”

  Sydney picked Jake up. “Oh my gosh, he looks so grown up! Did you put this outfit together yourself?”

  “Yes. He had a lot of nice choices. I’ve never seen a person with so many clothes. No, I take that back. Seth probably has more clothes.” Tate laughed.

  “I’m afraid I have to accept partial blame for the clothes. I walk into a children’s store and I can’t control myself.” Sydney giggled.

  “That’s what grandmas do.” Tate smiled, remembering how she and Teri-Lyn had gone all out for Jake’s party.

  “I can’t wait to make a fuss over your little ones.”

  Tate gulped. “I’m afraid that may be a ways off.”

  “You don’t fool me, Tate. You have the look.” Sydney touched his cheek.

  “What look is that?” Tate cringed.

  “Come on, Jake. Uncle Tate has some thinking to do.” Sydney laughed and led Jake out of the penthouse.

  Tate caught a glimpse of himself in the foyer mirror. What exactly did she see?

  He took a breath and turned away. Well, it was time to get some work done. He picked up his notebook on the coffee table. Bits and pieces of good songs were in the making, but nothing was concrete yet. He needed to get moving in the worse way. He hated deadlines. The pressure killed his creative process. Sadly, the dual body scrub after the awards show hadn’t motivated him to write anything scandalous. He wanted something new and innovative without giving up his signature sound. Maybe it was time for some new inspiration to come into his life.

  * * *

  Isabelle just wanted to take a hot shower and have a cup of tea after her adventures with the airlines. The first plane had been delayed, which made her miss her connecting flight. Luckily she’d taken her violin on the plane as a carry-on. Toting it around was aggravating, but knowing her baby wouldn’t be damaged or stolen was worth it. Images of people playing soccer with her violin case on the tarmac always plagued her days before she traveled. A grueling eight hours later, she’d made it to the Ashcroft.

  Isabelle’s heart sank when Oscar, the man at the front desk, told her that Morgan and Seth had left for vacation two days ago. She explained to him that she’d arrived to town early and they hadn’t been expecting her so soon. To her surprise, Oscar remembered her from her last visit. They’d had a long conversation about his daughter’s aspirations to become a violinist.

  He didn’t hesitate to let her in, and he even offered to take her bags, but she refused. He opened the elevator door and put the key in that allowed access to the penthouse.

  Once she stepped inside the apartment, Isabelle dropped her bags by the door and plopped down on the couch. Looking around, not much had changed since she’d last visited except a few more pictures of Jake were scattered about. One of Jake’s toys sat on the coffee table. She could feel the happiness resonating throughout the penthouse.

  The knot at the base of her neck was unraveling when she heard singing coming from the kitchen. Morgan and Seth were out of town, so who the hell was in the kitchen? She got up and tiptoed toward it to find a man rifling through the refrigerator. She looked around, frantic, for something to defend herself. Although her heart was beating out of her chest, her best bet was to wound her attacker as best she could then try to get to her phone. Her eyes settled on the block of knives on the island counter. She reached over and grabbed the butcher’s knife.

  When the intruder turned around, she almost dropped the knife.
It was the same man she’d been spending her nights with for the past three months, Tate McGill. And he was even sexier in person.

  Tate stopped his search for the cheesesteak Morgan had said she’d left him in the fridge and closed the door. The woman standing in the middle of the floor holding a knife with her good hand had to be a relative of Morgan’s. She was taller, had curly auburn hair, but had the same petite shape and almond-shaped eyes. She had full, almost pouty, sensuous lips that he was trying his best not to fixate on. She also had guts, that was for sure, opting to face down an intruder instead of running out of the house.

  “Hi, I’m Tate, nice to meet you.” He grinned and extended his hand. “And you are?”

  “Isabelle Reed.” She put the knife down on the counter.

  “You must be one of Morgan’s cousins.”

  “What gave me away?” She put her hand on her hip.

  “Well, there’s definitely a family resemblance. And you said your last name was Reed.” He smiled.

  “The doorman said Morgan and Seth were on vacation.”

  “They needed a break from all the media hoopla about his new contract. So Seth whisked her away for an impromptu vacation. I’m here babysitting Jake.”

  She looked around. “Where is Jake?”

  “He’s with his grandma Sydney getting some pictures taken.”

  Isabelle closed her eyes. “I royally screwed this up. I thought I was going to surprise Morgan.”

  Before he could stop her, Isabelle whipped out her phone, called Morgan, and put it on speaker.

  “Hi, Izzy,” Morgan said as soon as the call connected.

  “I’m standing in your kitchen and almost stabbed Tate McGill. I thought he was an intruder.”

  Morgan burst out laughing. “I’m sure this isn’t the first time a woman’s come after him with a knife. He’s taking care of Jake for us while we’re on vacation. I wish I’d known you were coming early.”