Dani opened her eyes to see Kasper's back. Maybe she could slip out of bed without waking him. If she listened to her brain, not the pulsing in her damp panties, she would have thanked him for dinner and locked the door between their rooms. Maybe she should move to Tate's room across the hall for privacy.

Dinner had been amazing. She had been to business meals and on casual dates, but no man had ever taken her to a truly romantic meal. Sharing plates and the wine had been surreal and intimate, hence the panties making all the decisions.

She closed her eyes and winced. After he made her climax twice, he held her. As her heart rate slowed, he caressed her cheek and kissed her gently. Somehow she had crossed the line she didn't want to be near. A tear fell as he softly asked about when her mother died.

"Shhh. It's okay. Let's get some sleep."

She had lied to him about her mother. It was back when he annoyed her; before they spent time together. He fell asleep first, and she had awoken before her alarm. Carefully, she slid out of bed and tiptoed to the bathroom. After she used the toilet, she worried the flush would wake him, but she couldn't leave her pee. Finally flushing, she returned to her room and climbed in the bed with her phone.

They were trending #tarzanandjane. She had text messages from Doyle and Ivy, both asking about her date. Another came from Tate, she replied to all three. Mothers wake too early. It was not a real date.

Ivy replied. It looked real.

Doyle replied privately. He's liked you forever.

His twin didn't understand that she didn't want to hear he liked her. If it was true, she would hurt him. She couldn't handle the pain. First her mother left, then Beau hurt her. She hadn't allowed herself to get close to any man she dated since. In retrospect her grave mistake was falling for the Kane family. Hurting Kasper would hurt them all. He told her how close the siblings were.

Climbing out of the bed, she showered and dressed for work. Her coffee cup was an inch from her lip when Kasper breezed in looking handsome in his gray suit. "Good morning, Jane."

"Don't start. I doubt he's into social media."

Kasper stopped in front of the coffee. "Seriously, you never looked him up."

"No." Not in years.

"I will." He sat with his coffee and a plate of eggs with toast. Taking out his phone, he handed it to Dani. "Type his name."

Her hand shook as she finished and handed it back without pressing enter. Once upon a time she wanted his last name. A lot had changed, she wanted to be her own person, not belong to anyone else.

Kasper's frown caused the hairs on her neck to stand up. She reached up and itched them but found no relief.

"He has your picture on his page. Somehow he took one of you at the event. He might have edited me out."

"He's harmless."

"He's not. He posted that I'm a homewrecker."

She watched as he took screen shots and forwarded them. Her phone didn't vibrate, so she could guess to whom he sent them.

Dani put her coffee down and sighed. Kasper took her hand. "It will be okay."

She shook her head. "No. I'm getting a migraine."

Kasper's face fell. "Let me help you."

She put her hand up. "No. Medicine and sleep. I'll text Baxter. Please tell the maid not to disturb me."

"I'll let Percy know."

Dani wanted to go home, but went to the luxurious room upstairs. She woke once or twice, but went back to sleep after some water. When she finally woke up, it was dark outside. She missed the whole day. Damn Beau. She wanted to have it out with him. Like a coward, she ran, but she wasn't a coward anymore.

She had missed calls from Darlene. Unable to deal with her sister, she took a relaxing shower. Her grogginess had dissipated. Because it wasn't home, she dressed, before she went to find some food.

Percy pounced when she came down the stairs. "Kasper has been checking on you all day. Mrs. Moran is waiting to give you anything you need."

The kitchen was a better place than the dining room. The older woman smiled. "Dear, my sister suffers from those nasty things. She has for years. She's often hungry after she sleeps it off. I made chicken soup."

"Thank you." She usually opened a can of soup at home.

"Be sure to drink lots of fluids."

"Just some water."

"I'm glad you're here so I can take care of you."

She smiled. "You know I work for Baxter, just like you work for the family."

The older woman smiled. "You underestimate yourself. Ask yourself why you are sleeping upstairs and I sleep in the basement."

"I don't know." She had always slept upstairs. "At Baxter's I sleep in the basement."

"Away from the babies for your own privacy. Here eat up. I need to put a tray together, we're having guests for cocktails."

"Guests?"

"Don't worry, dear. Just family."

Dani might prefer strangers. Kasper rushed in as she finished her soup. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. Thanks. What did I miss?"

"Nothing. I finished everything. I even made them look nice."

She smiled. "It's easy."

"You're better at it." He kissed her forehead.

Mrs. Moran mumbled under her breath. "Definitely not the same."

Kasper looked at Dani inquisitively. "Nothing," she answered with half a smile.

She followed Kasper to the parlor and accepted a seltzer. Baxter rushed in and stopped when he saw her. "I'm glad you feel better." She started to apologize, but he held up his hand. "I told you never apologize."

Jimmy was the next to arrive with Tate by his side. He made the baby carrier look light, but not like Gray when he and Doyle walked in.

Dani stood up. "Why is everyone here?"

Jimmy said, "Because Kasper's plan backfired."

She hadn't looked at her phone since her migraine started. "Did something else happen?"

Kasper looked at her. "He's saying you are married."

"What! No!" She put her hands over her face. "He dragged me to the county clerk and made me sign for a marriage license, but we never got married. I would have run away sooner if he tried. It was only a few weeks before we left for school. I think he thought it was binding. He wanted to own me."

Tate said, "So you never went to the justice of the peace or a minister?"

"No. I had a migraine and faked it to last almost the whole last week before he left for football practice. He was angry that the school only allowed athletes on campus. It gave me the time I needed to get away."

Doyle's eyes were wide. "You were so brave."

"So he has a meaningless piece of paper from ten years ago. I think we should report his behavior to the hospital administrator," Jimmy demanded.

"No. I'm not vindictive. I want to meet with him."

A chorus of 'no' made her shoulders slump.

Kasper patted the sofa next to him. "Come sit."

She did, and he took her hand. None of his siblings commented. Baxter spoke next, calmly, as he was holding Doyle's baby. "Maybe she can settle the past, but she can't go alone." He looked right at Gray.

"I'm going as her boyfriend."

Jimmy added, "I'll appear on your signal and say I had a pleasant talk with the hospital president."

"Do you know the president?" Dani's head spun.

"I will after I make a donation."

"Why would you do that for me?"

Tate laughed. "It's what he does."

Kasper squeezed her hand. "Do you know how to reach him?"

She nodded. "I'll ask my sister. She is trying to reach me."

Tate said, "That's good. She's supportive."

Dani laughed. "She loves him. She never knew."

"What?" Kasper startled Mattie who cried. "Sorry."

Jimmy took her from Tate. "It's okay."

Dani sighed. "She was young. My family is nothing like yours. You care about each other."

No one said anything. No one touched the platter the cook prepared. Baxter passed the baby to Gray and stood to pour a scotch. "Anyone else?"

Kasper raised his hand, but Jimmy shook his head. Gray put his son in the carrier. "I'll be available whenever you set it up."

Doyle stood and walked towards Dani. She hugged her and Kasper together. "You make an adorable couple. Don't blow it, Kasp."

Dani felt weird. She and Doyle were never very close. Kasper hugged his twin. "I'll try not to."

Baxter was the last to leave. Kasper encouraged him not to miss bath time. "It's fine. Danielle, are you okay?"

"I'll be at work tomorrow."

"I meant with the plan."

"How much worse can it be?"

Kasper squeezed her hand. "But to see him after so much time."

"I need to face him and tell him I'm not the girl he manipulated anymore."

Baxter nodded. "You aren't faking it?"

"No. It's real." Kasper smiled.

"I'm not dating him," Dani protested.

Kasper laughed, and Baxter shook his head.

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