Hank whistled and smiled as he set up the projector. Mike wouldn't be arriving to talk to the kids about setting up a mentoring program for another hour—he had plenty of time to get everything set up and then start browsing through the engagement ring catalog Jimmy had given to him.

He still couldn't believe that everything had gone so well with Mr. Hotchkiss—that Gwen's father had actually liked him. That all he had cared about was that his daughter was loved—that nothing else had really mattered to him.

How had he gotten so used to feeling like he was such a screw-up? Yes, he didn't have it all together like Sam and Luis did, but he was a solid guy. He had been there for Gwen when it mattered the most—he would always be there for her.

Of course, she made that easy. She was the most amazing woman he'd ever met.

Hank grinned as he plugged in the projector. It was time to move on to his next big plan—it was time to start planning the rest of his life.


Eve rocked back and forth on the bench, tears streaming down her cheeks. What did she have to do to get Whitney to give her a chance again? To not have her hate her so much?

From the second she'd known Whitney existed, she had vowed to move heaven and earth to protect her.

She'd certainly fallen down on that job, hadn't she? Had destroyed Whitney's life with all of her lies?

Yes, she was finally starting anew, but—without Whitney—it just didn't feel right.

And here she was, sitting outside in the cold, her tears freezing on her cheeks. Feeling like her heart had been ripped out of her chest.

She didn't have any hope. Any plan for the future. She didn't even have a single clue about how she could start making things right.

She couldn't go back to TC. She couldn't live like that again.

Yet, could she really live a new life with Julian—and still expect Whitney to forgive her?


"And that's Korey and CJ," Mike explained, clicking through the pictures being displayed through the projector at the front of the youth center's gym. "They've been paired up for almost a year now. Korey has really helped CJ come out of his shell."

Reese raised his hand. "Do any of the kids you work with like taking apart computers and putting them back together?"

Miguel laughed and rolled his eyes. "Maybe you could teach the kid you mentor about that, Reese."

Hank slipped in next to Sheridan, his smile stretching from ear to ear. "Mike's really good with them, isn't he?"

Sheridan continued staring straight ahead, her arms folded underneath her chest. "Yes, he really is."

Hank's smiled dropped. "Sheridan, are you okay? You seem really distracted today."

"I'm sorry—what did you say, Hank?" Sheridan turned to him.

Hank furrowed his brow and looked up as Mike approached them. "Hey, Mike," Hank greeted him. "You were really great with the kids."

"Thank you," Mike said. "I hope I didn't look too nervous up there. I'm not a huge fan of public speaking."

"Not at all," Hank said. "I couldn't even tell."

"Good." Mike laughed and mopped his brow. "I could have sworn my eyes were twitching."

Sheridan gave him a strange look.

"What's the matter, Sheridan?" Mike asked.

"Nothing . . . I'm sorry." Sheridan snapped out of her thoughts. "Please forgive me. My head is all over the place today."

"Well, that's understandable," Mike said. "You have a lot going on."

"Sheridan—are you sure nothing's wrong?" Hank asked. "Do you want me to call Luis?"

"No—I'm fine. I'm sorry I'm so distracted." Sheridan perked up and extended one hand to Mike. "Thank you so much for coming here, Mike—the kids really connected with you."

Mike smiled and shook her hand. "It was my pleasure. All of the kids seem really great—I think you're going to have a great program."

"Thank you," Sheridan said. "When it's up and running, maybe our two programs could do some sort of group outing."

"I think that would be great, Sheridan," Mike said. "And I hope whatever you're worrying about turns out to be okay."

"Thank you—I'm sure it will." Sheridan smiled. "I just need to catch up with my mother—to have a long overdue talk with her."

"You're very lucky to have her," Mike said. "I'd do anything to know mine."

"Oh, Mike, I'm so sorry," Sheridan gasped. "Did she pass away when you were young?"

"No," Mike said. "At least not as far as I know. I was left at the doorstep of a foster care agency the same day I was born—on Christmas of all nights."