“Yes, my good friend from college, the one who was going to keep an eye on her for me. Ironic, huh?”

“Um, maybe I should leave you guys alone,” Aidan said.

“No, stay, please.” Clare held out a hand to him. Her legs rubbery with shock, she sat down hard. “How do you know?”

“I got a call last night from Reid’s son, Ashton. He’d just put the whole thing together himself. I gave him my card before I left there and asked him to call me if he saw her heading for any trouble. I guess this counts as trouble.”

“But did he see them together? Did you?”

“Yes, on both counts. Ashton had a big confrontation with his father and Kate last night before he called me. He said it’s been going on for months, almost since the very beginning. I didn’t want to believe him because I thought he liked Kate himself. Turns out I wasn’t far off on that front, but it wasn’t him she was interested in.” Jack ran a hand through his hair, agony marring his handsome face. “This is all my fault. I never should’ve agreed to let her do this.”

Clare reached over to clutch his hands. “You can’t blame yourself. You did everything you could to make sure she’d be safe.”

“Apparently I did a little too much by hooking her up with Reid.” He released a deep, rattling sigh. “I’ve got to tell you, Clare, I didn’t believe it. Not really. That’s why I didn’t call you right away.” He shook his head when his eyes filled. “But then I saw them. They didn’t know I was watching. They were all over each other in his car.”

Clare shook her head with disbelief. “Did you talk to her? What did she say?”

“That she loves him. I think she honestly believes that.”

“Maybe she isn’t actually sleeping with him.”

Jack snorted. “Of course she is. You should’ve seen them in the car. I told her I was taking her home with me, but she refused. She said she’s eighteen, and I can’t make her do anything. The bitch of it is, she’s right. I took her there, but I can’t make her come home.”

“How did you leave it with her?”

“I cut her off financially and told her to stay away from the rest of the kids. I don’t want them finding out about this, especially Maggie.”

“You can’t cut her off!”

“I’m not bankrolling her affair with a man old enough to be her father, Clare. No way. Besides, if what she said is true, she won’t be needing my money for much longer.”

“What do you mean?”

“Buddy Longstreet and Taylor Jones have asked her to tour with them this summer. Do you know who they are?”