Julian shoved the last piece of paper into the box and pushed the box to the side. All of these hours, all of this searching—and he still had nothing to show for it.

Maybe he shouldn't have taken these boxes home. Maybe he should have rummaged through them in the office. But he couldn't help but think that the key to his mother's disappearance was right at his fingertips.

Maybe if he approached this from a different angle—maybe something new would occur to him.

That's what Eve had suggested he do with his children, wasn't it? To try to make a fresh start?

Without a doubt, he had his work cut out for him. If he was being completely honest with himself, he didn't even really know where to start.

Fancy, Fox, and Pretty—he had spent their entire lives letting them down.

Did he even have it in him to be the father they needed?

It was high time he started at least trying, wasn't it? To be the best man he could be?

If he had managed to step up to the plate and be brave enough to help both Sheridan and Eve, then surely he had it in him to summon up that courage again.

Certainly he had the guts he needed to approach his children—to try to begin new relationships with them. The strength he needed to stand up to his father—to help his mother escape. The courage he would need to look his mother in the eye and own up to breaking the pledge he had made to her—his promise to protect Sheridan.


Luis gently bent Martin's knee toward his chest, pausing when he had formed a ninety-degree angle. "Are you ready, Papa?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Martin sighed. "Don't worry about being gentle with me. I can't feel much of anything. At this point, the doctors are just worried about keeping my limbs flexible—about me keeping up my strength."

Luis lowered Martin's leg back down to his wheelchair. "I wish you didn't have to go through this."

Martin looked at his son and smiled. "At least I'm with my family."

"Yeah," Luis smiled, his eyes falling to the ground.

"Luis, is something wrong?"

Luis twisted his fingers together.

"Listen, I know we've lost a lot of years together," Martin said, laying one hand on Luis's shoulder, "and I realize that it's probably not easy for you to confide in me after there were so many years that you couldn't. But I want you to know that I'm here for you, son. I'm happy to listen anytime you want to talk—and I'm more than willing to shut up if you don't. I just want you to know, Luis, that I'm here for you no matter what you need."

Luis looked at his father. "Sam Bennett's daughter ran away the other day."

"And that's gotten you worrying about your own daughter . . ." Martin eyed Luis.

Luis picked up his father's leg and bent it again. "I guess I am being pretty transparent."

"It's only natural to worry, Luis," Martin said. "You've just got to have faith that everything will turn out okay."

"How can you, of all people, believe that, Papa?" Luis's eyes flew to Martin's.

"How can I not?" Martin asked. "I'm here with you right now, aren't I?"

"Yeah, but you lost all of those years with Mama and the rest of us," Luis protested, "—and now, you can't even walk."

"Yes, but we all eventually found our way back to each other, didn't we?" Martin smiled softly. "And I know one day I am going to walk again."

Luis put down Martin's leg and fixed his eyes on his father's. "Your faith is amazing, Papa."

"You've got to have faith, too, Luis," Martin said. "Look at how many gifts God has already given to you."

Luis fiddled with his wedding band and smiled. "I can't argue with that logic. He did bring me Sheridan—even if we didn't get off to the smoothest of starts."

Martin laughed. "See, that's exactly what I mean."

"Yeah, but our first meeting wasn't devastating, Papa," Luis explained. "Was it irritating? Yes. Exasperating? Absolutely. But it didn't tear me up like your disappearance did."

"Still, look where you ended up, Luis." Martin smiled for a moment. "Tell me, if I hadn't been taken prisoner by Alistair, what would you have done after you graduated high school?"

"I would have gone to college and then to law school," Luis answered without hesitation, his eyes lighting up as he remembered his old dreams.

Martin nodded his head. "You're right—and that would have been a good life. But, son, you probably wouldn't have met Sheridan if things had worked out that way."

Luis rubbed his chin and chuckled. "I can't argue with you there."

"Listen, Luis, I'm not saying that good always wipes out the bad—or that it negates the fact that the bad ever happened." Martin clasped his hands over his son's. "But it does give you something to live for—a higher purpose, if you will."

"I hear what you're saying," Luis said.

"But you don't quite believe it," Martin deduced.

Luis folded his hands in front of his face. "I'm not going to lie and say that I do." Luis's eyes met Martin's. "But I am trying to, Papa. And I want to—if that means anything at all."

Martin smiled at his son. "I think it means everything, Luis."


"Hank? Guess what?" Gwen smiled from ear to ear as she glanced around the parking lot of Hotchkiss Industries.

"Well, whatever it is, it must be big," Hank laughed through the phone. "Weren't you supposed to be tied up with the year-end reports today?

"I was," Gwen beamed, unable to contain the giddiness bubbling in her chest. "But, Hank, I just had to call you to share my great news—I got called for an interview!"

"Gwen, that's fantastic!" Hank responded. "What company is it with?"

"The interview is for a VP position at an import/export company headquartered in Castleton," Gwen gushed. "They want me to come in and meet with their head of operations."

"Gwen, I'm so proud of you." Hank's voice filled with warmth. "I knew you could do this."

"That's assuming I don't bomb the interview." Gwen laughed nervously. "I know this sounds ridiculous, but I've never gone on one before, Hank."

"Welcome to the real world," Hank laughed. "Not that I can really talk—I did get this job from Luis."

"We have been pretty lucky, haven't we?" Gwen's voice softened. "What if I blow it, Hank? What if I fail miserably?"

"That's not going to happen, Gwen," Hank said. "You're very good at what you do. Any employer should be able to see that."

"Maybe . . ." Gwen twisted her lips.

"Gwen, I have all the faith in the world in you," Hank said. "I know you're going to ace this."


Luis put down his keys as he entered the apartment, smiling softly as he caught sight of Sheridan curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly amongst all the moving boxes.

She looked like an angel.

Swallowing a lump in his throat, Luis sat down next to her and traced one finger over her cheek. His father was right. If he had taken a different path in life, he might not have met Sheridan.

Luis raked his fingers through Sheridan's hair and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "I love you so much," he whispered. "I can't imagine my life without you."

"Luis?" Sheridan's eyes struggled open, her lips curving up in a smile.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you," Luis said. "I know you need your sleep."

"Why?" Sheridan smirked and caressed her belly. "Because this little one has taken over my body?"

Luis smiled and rubbed her belly. "You're growing our daughter, Sher."

"Sometimes, I feel like she's the one growing me." Sheridan struggled to sit up.

Luis grabbed her around her waist and helped her to a seated position. "Well, whatever is going on in there, I'm grateful to have you both." Luis leaned forward and kissed Sheridan's nose. "I love you so much, Sheridan."

Sheridan smiled sleepily and curled up in his arms.

"Before I forget to ask, what is all of this?" Luis motioned to the table next to him, which was covered in a linen tablecloth and set with fancy flatware and candlesticks.

"I wanted to do something nice for you." Sheridan rubbed her eyes and buried her head in Luis's chest. "Don't worry—I didn't cook."

Luis chuckled softly and nudged her nose. "I never worry about that."

"Hey." Sheridan smiled and poked Luis in the chest. "Don't tease me when I'm trying to do something nice for you."

"I can't help it," Luis laughed, pulling her hand up to his lips and kissing it. "You're just so adorable, Sher."

Sheridan beamed at him. "I love you so much, Luis."

Luis cupped one hand over her belly; his eyes twinkled at hers. "I love you, too, Sheridan."


Julian blinked rapidly as he took in the information in front of him. Were his eyes deceiving him? Had he been pouring over these documents for so long that he was actually starting to see things?

Was this an actual lead on his mother?

He had been delving through these files for so many hours that the day had slipped into night.

And now, seemingly out of nowhere, here it was right in front of him—a deed to a Crane property that he had never heard of before.

How was this possible? His father may have kept secrets from him, but not about his business dealings. No, Alistair always wanted him to do the grunt work, to deal with the details he deemed himself too busy to handle.

If this was an actual Crane-owned property that no one knew about, was it possible that this was where his father was hiding? Where the old bastard was holed up torturing his presumed-dead wife, keeping her as his long-suffering hostage?

Picking up the phone, Julian dialed a number he knew by heart, not even blinking as he heard the line click on.

"Eve," he breathed, his eyes remaining glued to the paper in front of him. "Eve, I think I found something."