Jimmy squeezed Shaun's hand. She faced him but couldn't smile. Tumultuous feelings were colliding, and nausea made her breaths shallow.

For the hundredth time since they boarded the private plane, Shaun said, "You didn't have to come."

Jimmy sighed. "I have some business to attend to, so it was no bother. The car will take you home and I'll head to my hotel."

Home. Shaun hadn't been home in so long the clothes in Tansy's closet wouldn't fit her.

"Do you think he'll be there?"

She shrugged. "I don't know."

Through his lawyer, Eliot had insisted he would only discuss a parenting plan when she returned to Seattle. It didn't surprise her he wanted her back, but his deadline had. Seventy-two hours may have been impossible if not for her cousin. Did Eliot hope she would fail? What if she hadn't gotten a flight? Her lawyer assured her they could negotiate anything.

As she relayed the conversation to Jimmy, he smiled. He had a reputation as a fierce negotiator. "I want to be involved behind the scenes."

Tansy had fallen asleep on the drive from the airport. Even luxurious travel wore the poor girl out. When Shaun had told her they were going home to see her daddy, Tansy cried. "Dex said he would swim with me!"

It was true. When Dex went for his car the day after the party, he rode but didn't stay.

He groaned. "I partied too hard."

Shaun suspected his partying continued at home with Ann. She had trouble erasing their intimacy, remembering the way his date sat on his lap. The following weekend, he had gone away, so he came to ride after work on Thursday. He arrived in his suit but changed into jeans. He looked good in both attires. That was when he promised he would swim next time he visited. Instead, she texted him they were leaving and reminded him to ride Shadow. He texted back he would miss her and could ride Star too.

When the car pulled into the driveway, she looked at her home. She expected it to look unkempt. "It looks good."

Jimmy looked at the house. She felt embarrassed by the small one-story that she couldn't even afford. Instead of dwelling, she roused Tansy. "Sweetie. We're home."

It was still afternoon Pacific time, but it felt later. Tansy looked out the tinted windows, but didn't react. The driver was busy bringing their luggage to the door.

Jimmy's firm voice was the only sound. "This one is mine. I'll be a little while."

She expected him to drop her off and go to his luxury hotel. Slowly, she and Tansy emerged from the back seat. Shaun had dressed up to travel on the private jet.

The front door opened and Eliot emerged. She took in the face she once knew as well as her own. Had she ever known him at all? The hurt he caused her detracted from his looks, which she once thought were handsome.

He smirked. "You made it with an hour to spare." He looked from Shaun to Jimmy.

Tansy bursted forward. "Daddy!" She jumped at him, but landed on her feet. How had Josh instinctively known to pick her up? "Daddy!"

He looked down. "Hi Tansy."

"We flew in Jimmy's plane."

Eliot's eyes narrowed as Shaun stepped forward. "Let's go see your room."

Tansy ran ahead, but Eliot blocked Shaun. "Aren't you going to greet me?"

With her heels on, she was eye to eye with him. "Where's Courtney?"

"I came to..."

"Make sure I made your stupid deadline. Your daughter is home. Go see her."

He looked toward the door and then at Jimmy. "Why are you here?"

Jimmy put his hands up. "I'm just making sure my cousin made it home safe and sound."

Eliot said, "She's home."

"Shaun?" Jimmy stood ready to protect her.

"Go Jimmy. I'm fine."

She didn't want Jimmy to witness whatever came next. Eliot wouldn't harm her. His words were another story.

"Okay. Call me later. I have an early meeting in the morning."

Eliot stepped inside the bungalow style home they had shared for six years. Shaun followed him. She was glad to see a clean dust free home. Had her mother been paying for the housecleaning and lawn care.

Eliot stood, looking at her. "You look good, but I guess you've been on vacation with your cook and horses and parties.

She shook her head. "I've been comforting my mother and taking care of our daughter." She raised her voice. "Tansy."

The little girl appeared with an arm load of stuffed animals. "Mommy, a pig, and lellphant, and doggie."

"Do you remember them?" She nodded and pouted. "Daddy's here too."

Tansy smiled. "Daddy. Let's go ride Lady."

"Baby, Lady's far away at Gran's house. Remember the plane."

"Gran and Stella?"

Shaun nodded. "Yes. They're not here. Daddy is."

She shook her head. "Dex, not here."

"No, Daddy is."

She looked at Eliot, hoping he would say something.

"Daddy?"

He stepped toward her. "Hi Tansy. You've grown."

Shaun should feel guilty he missed her birthday, but it was his fault for imploding their marriage.

He turned to Shaun. "Now you're finally home, I'll let you get settled in."

He turned on his heels and left. Shaun looked at the three suitcases still on the stoop. She wanted to call Jimmy to fly her home. Instead, she lugged them inside. She went to the kitchen and opened the fridge. She had fears about what she might find growing there, but inside was her yogurt and milk and some fruit. According to the dates, the food was fresh. Tears popped into her eyes.

"Stella," she mumbled.

The pantry had snacks for Tansy, including bread and peanut butter and jelly.

"Josh," she whispered to herself. Tansy missed Josh.

She picked up her phone and texted him.

🗨To Josh: Made it. Tansy misses you.

🗨From Josh: Just Peanut?

She sent another text.

🗨To Jimmy: He's gone.

🗨From Jimmy: Good.

She looked around her house. Emma would cringe at her furniture and decor. Shaun had been happy living in the small home, but everything changed. Other than unpack, she didn't know what to do. She had always worked and waited on her husband. With the time difference, she was ready for the day to be over, but the sun was out. Tansy stayed in her room talking to her stuffed animals.

Shaun worried she had been with adults for too long. She needed to play with kids her own age. Shaun needed to redefine her life. She had to face the fact that she was alone without her family she had counted on. Without the people she trusted in Seattle too, because both of them had betrayed her.

After her third day at home, she felt restless. She called her attorney. "I'm home. I want to settle the custody issue."

"Are you letting Mr. Shaughnessy see his daughter?"

"He was at the house when we arrived to make sure we made his deadline. I haven't heard from him since."

"Your daughter was out of state for over six months, and he only saw her for how long?"

"Five minutes. Maybe ten. Tansy wandered into her room and found her toys."

Remembering they had returned, Eliot called. "The lawyers want to talk about Tansy."

"That's why you set a deadline on my return. I'm here, so..."

"We can discuss her after the museum gala."

Shaun had forgotten about it. "I'm not going. It has nothing to do with Tansy."

Eliot ignored her. "I need you to go."

"Why? You have Courtney. You can try to fleece the other guests with her as your date."

"The museum director wants you to attend."

"Why?" She paced back-and-forth feeling tension in her head. "I'm sure he filled my job."

"The jerk is questioning Courtney's ethics. If you attend and show there are no hard feelings, she'll keep her job."

"But there are hard feelings. You two are delusional. She should lose her job."

"How hard should I fight you for Tansy?"

"Seriously?" She couldn't trust him.

"I refuse to talk about it until after the gala." He hung up.

The guy was a jerk. She thought of calling her lawyer. Instead, since it was after seven in the east, she took a chance and called Josh.

"Hey. You okay?"

"You won't believe him." He listened to her story.

"Hold on."

She heard the mumbling of voices. Was he still working, or worse, with Ann?

"Shaun?"

Surprised, she said, "Jimmy?"

"I'm here. We both are. We were grabbing a drink. Tell me what's going on."

When she finished, Jimmy said, "I'm coming, when is it?"

"Saturday night. I don't want to go. Plus, I left my gowns at home."

"I can bring your dresses." Jimmy said it like he was agreeing to bring takeout around the corner.

Josh said, "I'm coming too. He'll expect Jimmy as your date. Let's surprise him."

She imagined the two men huddled around one phone on speaker.

"I don't want to go. Plus, you have Ann."

"I'll worry about Ann. Do it for Peanut."

Shaun sighed. "She misses Dex."

"Dex misses her."

Jimmy's strong voice interrupted her thoughts of Dex and Tansy. "We'll arrive late Friday night."

"You can't both give up your weekends like this."

"We can," Jimmy said.

"And we will." Josh sounded as certain.

A real duo.

"I don't even have a babysitter."

Jimmy said, "I'll hire one. I'll need a date too."

Shaun felt awkward. "Bring Ann."

Josh said, "I'll come on my own."

"Can I talk you out of it?"

Jimmy laughed. "I've already booked the hotel.

When Eliot called again to convince her to attend, she pretended she hadn't decided. If she could get out of it, she would. It was never an evening she had minded because she loved the museum. Unfortunately, she didn't work for the museum any longer. Having Jimmy and Josh's support meant everything, but she just wanted to stay home.

When she opened the door on Friday afternoon, she froze. Courtney stood on her doorstep. She looked down at her tee shirt and jeans. Courtney was dressed for the museum in a skirt that was too short. She couldn't block the thoughts of the woman in front of her intimately knowing the man that she had loved, married, and created a child with. Her skin crawled.

"Please, please come. It would mean so much to me."

"To your job. If you cared about me, you wouldn't have stolen my husband."

It was easy to fight for him, even though she never wanted him back. The thought of seeing Courtney on his arm caused a sensation behind her eyes.

Jimmy's plane was already above the earth, flying west. Josh had texted her, completely impressed.

"It's going to be a huge success. My sister has a date with a billionaire from the east coast. He promised a healthy donation."

Shaun wanted to kill her cousin. If Candace was Jimmy's date, it would get back to Courtney that she and Josh were just friends. She wanted Eliot to think she no longer wanted him. The problem was the hurt she felt said otherwise. She wanted to wake up and have it be Sunday, with Josh stopping by for a ride.