Sheridan slipped one arm around Katherine's waist. "What did you say to her, Mother?"

Katherine looked at her daughter and smiled. "To Paloma? Nothing much. I just helped her find the courage to follow what her heart already wanted to do."

Sheridan smiled. "Well, whatever you said, it worked. You're going to have to teach me your magic."

"Oh, Sheridan, it wasn't magic at all. It was just being a mother." Katherine wrapped one of her arms around her daughter. "I can already tell you're going to be wonderful at that."

Tears formed in Sheridan's eyes. "Do you really think so, Mother?"

"I know so, Sheridan." Katherine smiled softly. "One of the most important parts of being a mother is having a huge and compassionate heart. You already have that, my darling."

Sheridan glanced down and caressed her belly. "I'm just so terrified that I'm going to screw everything up."

"I know, darling. I know." Katherine rubbed Sheridan's arm. "Even though you and Julian are all grown up, I'm still terrified sometimes."

"Why?" Sheridan wiped her eyes and looked up at her mother.

Katherine hung her head. "I just wonder if you two would have had better lives if I had handled things differently with Alistair."

"Mother, we've been through this," Sheridan said. "Julian and I don't blame you for trying to leave."

"Thank you," Katherine said, "but I still blame myself for almost everything that has happened to both you and Julian."

Katherine glanced over at Pilar and Paloma. "Frankly, I'm surprised you're not as angry as Paloma is. You have every right to be."

Sheridan's heart dropped. "Mother, I wish you didn't feel that way. Father really tortured you."

Katherine blinked back tears.

Sheridan turned to face her. "Why are you crying, Mother?"

Katherine looked up, her hand flying to her mouth. "I'm just awed by how compassionate your heart is, Sheridan—by the wonderful person you are."


Eve cupped one hand over her mouth and gulped for air.

Bracing herself against Sheridan and Luis's bathroom sink, she inhaled as slowly and deeply as she could—willing herself to steady her breathing.

"Come on, Eve. You can do this," she whispered. "TC wasn't right. You're not changing anything to fulfill someone else's desires and wishes. You're not losing yourself."

But was she really being true to herself? How on earth could she tell?

Yes, these past few weeks with Julian had been like a dream—but was that all they had been?

Was all of the devotion and loving attention he was showering her with distracting her from more important things—from dealing with the big issues in her life?

Yes, she was getting closer than ever to finding her son, but what about her relationship with Whitney? She hadn't made any progress on that front.

Whitney was still as angry as ever at her—probably even more so after last night.

And as happy as she was for Pilar and Paloma—witnessing their emotional reunion had only honed the ache in her chest into a sharp, shooting pain.

She didn't know how to fix her relationship with Whitney.

Right now, she couldn't even catch her own breath.

But that didn't mean that she could just give up—or let Whitney walk out of her life.

Choking back a sob, Eve drew in a deep breath.

How had it become so easy for her to retreat back into the safety net of Julian's arms—to hide out from all of the hurt?


Hank adjusted his tie and folded his napkin in his lap, his hands fidgeting with the material.

"Relax, Hank—you're going to do great," Gwen reassured him. "My father is going to love you."

"I'm not so sure about that, Gwen . . ."

Hank cleared his throat and straightened his back as he caught sight of Mr. Hotchkiss entering The Seascape and exchanging pleasantries with the maître d'. This was it—now or never—his only chance to make a good first impression.

This night had to go right. It had to go smoothly. So much depended on it. If he was going to marry this woman one day, he had to get along with her father.

Marriage? Wow—Hank still couldn't even believe he was thinking like that. How hard it had hit him the other night. How seeing his best buddy and his wife so ridiculously happy had made him crave that with Gwen.

A marriage. A family. A plan for the future.

He had never been that kind of man.

Yet the second that Gwen had walked into his life, all of his preconceptions about love had changed in the blink of an eye.

It's going to be okay, Hank told himself. You're going to do fine. Her father is going to like you and give you his blessing. You have nothing to worry about.

Nothing to worry about? Was he forgetting the last decade of his life? How he had screwed everything up? Done so many things he wasn't proud of?

If Gwen's father started comparing him to Ethan, he would definitely fall short.

What was he doing here? What was he thinking?

Hank's heart stopped as he heard her father's voice: "Gwen, darling, I'm so happy you both could join me."