He couldn’t ask her to bring them all over to him, either. That would take as much time, and the kids had worked too hard to treat them that casually. “True. My bad.” He heard Kiki bark like a dog and went over to peer into the atrium. He thought he might find Tia there, but the bird was alone. “Why can’t you choose the winners? I’d be happy to work with anyone you recommend.”

“I’m not the artist, you are. I don’t know what to look for, which was why we set you up to judge from the beginning. Why don’t you want to come over?”

“It’s not that I don’t want to come over,” he said. “It’s that...there’s a guy in town who’s part of the paparazzi. He’s being aggressive and intrusive, trying to get a picture of Tia. He even blocked the gate when we were trying to come home the other day. I’m reluctant to leave her alone, because I have no idea what he might try.”

“I heard he was in town. Gavin and Eli both mentioned him. Name’s Kouretas or something, right?”

“Yeah. Ray Kouretas.”

“Won’t Tia be safe inside, as long as she keeps the doors locked? He might not even realize she’s in the guesthouse.”

“She’s not in the guesthouse any longer,” he said. “After he got so belligerent, I had her move into the main house with me, just to be safe.”

When Aiyana cleared her throat before responding, he said, “Don’t read too much into that.”

“What do you mean?” she asked innocently. “I’m glad you’re looking out for her. But...why can’t you bring her with you when you come? Kouretas would never expect her to be here, so it should be easy to avoid him.”

“You know she won’t allow herself to be seen—by anyone other than you and some of the other members of our family.”

“She can’t stay behind closed doors forever, Seth.”

“She’ll come out when she’s ready.”

“I respect that. But the sooner she forgets about her scars, the sooner everyone else will, too.”

“Like I said, she will when she’s ready.”

She sighed. “What do you want to do about the contest?”

“I’ll come. What time do I need to be there?”

“Is one thirty okay?”

“Yeah. See you then.” He was just disconnecting when his phone dinged with a text. Lois had responded to his late-night message.

How could you choose some woman you’ve barely met over us?

If you’re talking about Tia, I’m just trying to help her out, he wrote back.

You’ll help her but not us?

Helping them and allowing them to use him were two different things.

“Morning.”