d, dreamless sleep, Adalynn felt

unblocked number she recognized as Julia

ath, let it out slo

d sleepy, a little lazy, as i

tion. "Adalynn, where the hell are you? Mrs

u okay?". She noted

bla

kne

her name had nearly died in this very hospital, a

ing audacity-made her grip tighten on t

e and Sloane had rehear

e watching old movies and I fell asle

, plausible and root

it dozens of

tened, but o

nd was st

w night. Mother is expecting you. Y

nner" sent a wave of

, who always wore a displeased face and

cond, more robust l

a light, a

I are already on our way out to the Hamptons. We're taking her yach

e wouldn't

d attention

trated silence o

Is a weekend on a boat more impor

s her o

d have s

stress, that his child had been born two months early because of his betrayal, that she

he di

like a blade, she

it would be on he

l he failed to detect. "I thought my primary obligation was to provide you with an heir. Which

ssed those words, a p

re, fighting for her life in a plastic box,

s cor

f her health during pregnancy wou

unable to hide his anno

without say

e, a slow, triumphant br

one wa

rolled the c

controll

calm lake, one hand resting prote

constant, groun

er why she wa

Li

ne came through

Told him to bring you back a lobster ro

smile she'd felt on her face since the night she'd watc

ed to herself. "And I ha

sened his tie, a familiar

ge sense of bei

lynn wasn't immediately

nse line of his shoulders with an intimacy that once belonge

e murmured. "She's just throwing

didn't

king about

name they

ency C-section" and "a

k Carlene-had s

ink it cou

didn'

uldn'

d, he might have t

monster he preferred

soothed, pushing the u

e was

lways cam

Adalynn a tray with a nutrient-rich m

methodically, turnin

had proven so

lm and one step ahead, Jul

predi

was his grea

es, not to rest,

me had

would deliver her fir