“Your cab just pulled up, miss,” the hostess said.

“Thank you.” Cady didn’t look back as she walked past a fountain that gushed water, then whistled as a plume of smoke shot upward.

Cady cried all the way home in the taxi.

Pete felt like sixteen kinds of a fool as he made his way to his car. He’d just blown it. Big-time. Damn, why did I lie? He hadn’t meant to. He’d rehearsed, a dozen different times, how he was going to explain it all to Cady without actually coming out and admitting they’d cut and run that day. He knew all the legalese, or at least he thought he knew it. When you were asked a yes or a no question, there was no legalese. Black was black and white was white. Where had all his ethics and honor gone? Christ, what a mess, he thought as he barreled down the road toward his house.

Damn it to hell, maybe it’s time to get everyone together and try to make things right. His heart started to pump furiously at the mere thought.

He was in a hurry to get home. To his house, to his housekeeper, to his office. The things he’d busted his ass to get. Now, he was in danger of losing it all. Son of a bitch! Why in the damn hell did I lie? To keep the status quo, that’s why. And to feather my nest in the future. He groaned aloud, hating himself for his thoughts.

When he pulled his car into the driveway, he cut the lights before he turned off the engine.

He stared out at the star-filled night, wondering what would happen in the coming weeks. He entered the house and went to his bedroom, where he changed his clothes. He was back in his car within minutes.

His destination—the pond. His sanctuary in the past. Maybe the magic of the place would help him in his grown-up life.

He drove slowly, his eyes peeled for local patrol cars. Satisfied that they were occupied elsewhere, he doused his lights long before he reached the turnoff to the pond. He longed for the old slatted tree house that had given him so much comfort. He could still climb and settle into the Y of the tree and feel safe with all the spring foliage. He could sleep in the tree if he wanted to. Hell, he’d probably be sore in the morning, but if he could find comfort that night, it would be worth a stiff body in the morning.

He felt exposed and vulnerable when he looked around at all the closely cropped grass and weeds. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea after all.

He sat down on the ground and hugged his knees, his thoughts traveling at the speed of light. One incident, and all our lives were changed forever. I’m not different from Boomer, Andy, and Amy. Only Cady is different. Cady the victim. She’d looked so pretty tonight. He’d hoped to feel some affection for her, but it hadn’t happened. She was a stranger to him. A soon-to-be-rich stranger. He hadn’t felt any sexual desire either, which he found strange. Guilt. Guilt did terrible things to people. Some people were just better at covering it up than others. All you had to do was look at Amy Chambers to know she lived in her own hell. Andy was so screwed up he couldn’t make a move unless Amy okayed it. Boomer was a different story altogether. Boomer had his shit together.