“Yeah. I’ll be there in a sec.” Harper was about to set her phone aside so she could climb out of bed and throw on a pair of sweats when something in the video, which had continued to play while she talked to Karoline, caught her attention. It was just as “Let It Go,” the band’s new release, was coming to an end. Harper wasn’t sure why or how she’d noticed, but she pulled her phone back to take a closer look as Axel bent down to sing to one of the pretty girls crowded up against the stage.

As she watched, he let the girl touch his hand and then…took something from her?

Was that what he did?

Puzzled, Harper hit the back arrow to view the same segment again—and again and again. She couldn’t be sure, but it looked like the girl handed him her number or her room key or something.

“Mommy?”

Piper came charging in so suddenly Harper slid her phone under the covers. “Piper! What are you doing?”

“Can we go ice-skating today? We all want to. So can you call that man who said he’d take us?” She jumped up on the bed and pressed her hands into a prayerful pose to show just how badly she wanted to go. “Please? I’ve never been ice-skating.”

Still somewhat distracted by what she’d seen in the video, Harper didn’t answer right away. She wanted to believe that quick exchange meant nothing. No doubt girls gave their numbers to Axel all the time. And even though he’d probably called a few—which was part of what had caused the problem between them—he wouldn’t have called this one. Right?

Or…maybe he had. There was something about the way he responded that led Harper to believe he wanted this particular girl’s number. That he’d singled her out on purpose and let her know she was the one he’d chosen by the way he was looking at her when he sang.

“Mom?” Piper pleaded. “Please?”

Harper’s heart was beating very fast. There was that lack of trust, she told herself. She was reading more into what she’d seen than was really there. That was all.

Except, on a very basic level, she didn’t believe that. And this was the concert Pulse had played only two nights ago. After Axel had begun to show so much interest in reuniting.

If they got back together, would he be able to forgo all the women who propositioned him? Or now that he’d had a taste of sex with anyone he wanted, would he be able to give it up?

He’d already divorced her once to be able to exploit his freedom…

“Mom, aren’t you listening?” Piper asked.

Making an effort, Harper turned her attention to her youngest daughter. “What is it?”