Two years later...

Kasper couldn't believe he failed again. Why didn't the cross work? On his first show, he did everything right to woo Mariah. He climbed the tree for a coconut and toasted s'mores with her on the beach. When they kissed with the cross around his neck, he was so certain. Shock was the only word to describe when she chose Tripp and his cowboy good looks over Kasper. The sweet down-home boy. Mariah never truly understood Kasper, because deep down he had the biggest heart. Hadn't she seen him as he made friends with everyone? He felt misunderstood and confused.

Having missed the next opportunity because of Doyle's wedding, Kasper waited two years to return to the show. Once again the cross failed. It worked for all his siblings, but not him. Doyle hadn't even known she kissed Gray with the pendant on. Kasper had been very careful to only wear the pendant on a night when he knew he would kiss the lovely April.

April was more beautiful than Mariah, but far less intelligent. Kasper knew he failed before their date was over. Once again they sat on the beach when the platinum blonde said, "Is it me or does the beach look smaller than it did when we got here."

Kasper looked at her waiting for her to laugh, but she was dead serious. He had to censor his response. "That happens when the tide comes in."

"Oh, like magic!" She smiled.

"Exactly." It was the only magic as Kasper silently thanked his ancestors for not binding him to April for life. He needed intellectual stimulation that she would never provide. With Mariah, he questioned the cross's effect the minute their kiss ended and her irritating voice made him cringe.

When they left the beach, hand in hand with cameras rolling, Kasper wished April good night, but didn't kiss her again. He felt weary. Tired of having cameras trained on him. Exhausted from the lack of privacy, he wanted to go home to stay and figure out the rest of his life.

At almost twenty-nine, he had a year before his father expected him to join Kane Properties full-time. Maybe he would find it challenging, but he would have to learn to be more like Baxter.

He smiled. Lately, his brother was more like him. Fatherhood had made Bax turn soft. The twins, Jonathan and Jameson, had turned the entire Kane family into softies. Even Amelia bragged about her grandsons in between telling Ivy what she was doing wrong as a mother. Baxter supported his wife and was surprisingly hands on. With two babies, Ivy needed his hands, even with a nanny. The toddlers were very busy.

Kasper missed his nephews. Both Tate and Doyle were expecting babies about a month apart. Only one for each of them. Apparently, identicals ran in Ivy's family. Her father's twin had been stillborn and her grandmother had never spoken of it. Even the middle class kept things hidden. Amelia was over the moon, because Tate was having a girl. Kasper smiled at the thought of Jimmy spoiling his little daughter.

Kasper spent the next few days subdued without competing for April's attention. Let someone else be emotionally stunted the rest of his life. He hid his smile as April sent him home. It was exactly where he wanted to be. After the show returned him to LA to debrief, his first call was to Gavin to see if he was available. Kasper could fly on a commercial airline, but wanted to feel at home on his family's jet.

Gavin's reply gave him a spark of hope. He was in Sacramento and could take a detour. Kasper didn't ask who his passenger was. He didn't care if it was a stranger. They often leased their plane to keep it from sitting idle and to keep Gavin busy.

Four hours later, he greeted Gavin and stepped onto the luxury jet. Joe, the structural engineer, gave him a nod.

"Was there a problem in Sacramento?"

"Not a problem, just checking on the renovations."

Baxter had converted fifteen percent of their properties to multi use buildings to combat the drop in occupancy. Movement from the galley drew his attention. Dani stepped out. "Where's your wife?"

"No wife." She stood wanting more, and he had a powerful urge to explain. He stepped closer and shut his eyes to breathe in her alluring scent, before whispering in her ear. "She was a little dense."

As he pulled back, she smiled. "Not everyone is as smart as you, Jimmy Neutron."

"Seriously, you're going with a cartoon character from when I was too cool to watch." He laughed uninhibitedly for the first time in weeks. Just seeing his brother's assistant, he felt warm and comforted. Homesickness had never been a thing for him.

"Because you are so old."

Dani was only a year younger than him. She had been Baxter's right hand for seven years. The ding overhead told them to take seats and prepare for takeoff. Kasper sat next to Dani, although there were other seats to choose from. His eyes wandered to her thighs where her short skirt ended. Did April have sexy legs like Dani? Anytime Kasper was in the same room with Dani, he felt pulled towards her. Setting eyes on her, he felt a recharge. It was as if he missed her without realizing it until he saw her again.

Ironically, they didn't get along well. She thought of him as a playboy and he found her too intense, especially about business. What he couldn't understand was why their differences excited him. He averted his eyes from her legs before he found himself overexcited.

As soon as they were free to move, he poured himself a scotch. A drink and a nap was exactly what he needed. As he sipped the amber malt, Dani looked up at him. Her assessment made him wonder if he were naked. He checked his fly. Closed.

Clearing his throat, he asked, "What's new at home?"

She shrugged. "There's a board meeting in two weeks."

"Always fun." Like getting a tooth pulled. "How are the boys?"

"Destructive. Ivy brought them to visit. They pulled at files on Baxter's desk and made a mess."

Kasper smirked. "Bax was probably kissing Ivy. You can't take your eyes off those two." Dani shook her head. He eyed her. "Don't you like kids?"

"Not enough to have them. My career is too important."

"I'm going to be everyone's favorite uncle."

"I'm sure with a maturity level the same as a kid."

"You are a regular comedian. Don't you have work to do."

She sighed. "I always have work to do."

A brush of his arm caused her to look at him, but he couldn't read her thought. If there was annoyance, she masked it well.

Kasper took out his iPad to catch up on what he missed while cut off from the world. He had a string of videos from Ivy. The twins in the tub, with sauce smeared on their face and in their hair. Climbing on top of Baxter... With each clip he laughed louder. He heard Dani laugh.

"If that leaked it would weaken his negotiation ability."

"Not true. It shows he's human. He cares. Putting a little heart into business isn't awful."

"It is professional suicide."

He looked at her and didn't see her tell. Was she pushing his buttons or serious? "Do you have a heart? Is it beating?"

He had an overwhelming urge to rest his head against her chest and have a listen. She scoffed at him as her baby blues danced. He amused her, elation filled him. He wanted to get lost in her eyes. Such a random thought. Joe wouldn't see; he was asleep.

Surprising himself, he opened Baxter's email containing the quarterly financial statements and studied them. He tackled spreadsheets like a puzzle needing to be solved. When he felt her gaze, he didn't look at her. "Yeeesss."

"I didn't think those interested you."

"You would be surprised by the things that interest me. I have to talk to Baxter."

"About what?" She looked ready to pounce.

He shrugged. "Just want to talk to my brother. You think I don't care, but I do." He stood and moved away. It wasn't because she upset him, at least not in an aggravating way. Her closeness had addled him, and he didn't understand it.

She muttered under her breath, but he didn't care. He feared if he pointed out the discrepancy in security expenses, she would bring it to Baxter and take credit. He knew she wanted his title, but it was privileged information he had learned unconventionally.

Kasper rarely bothered with a driver. He found it easier to get an Uber. Months before, he was out having drinks with his model friends and he saw MacIntyre at the bar. Kasper walked over and sat beside him.

Mac looked at him. "I'm off duty."

"You look like you lost your best friend."

"Just my girl. Except she wasn't really mine."

"What happened?"

He shrugged. "She wanted casual, and I wanted more. Then we fought over something stupid and she ended it."

"Hey, I'm sorry. Let me buy you a drink."

Mac looked at him. "Because you're rich?"

He shook his head. "Nah, because I'm a nice guy. You didn't deserve to get dumped." Kasper ordered two top shelf scotches. "Like my brother drinks."

Mac laughed halfheartedly. "I'm nothing like your brother. Don't get me wrong, I like him, especially when he's not working."

"You mean relaxed Baxter."

He nodded. "This is really good."

Kasper just laughed as Mac sipped, he relaxed and asked Kasper the truth about reality TV. They followed the scotch with beers, Mac outpaced Kasper who liked to limit his carb intake.

"What was your girl like?"

"Perfect."

"Seriously?"

He nodded up and down. "Beautiful, smart, sexy, nice."

"You deserve all that."

He shook his head. "She's too good for a guy like me. Her career comes first."

"Ah, one of those professional women. Not even like Tate anymore."

Mac shook his head. "Another one."

"You're not driving." Mac shook his head. "So a professional. A ball buster like Dani, the world's greatest assistant."

Mac winced. "She wants your job." He looked nauseous the moment the words spewed.

"My job? How do you know?" The look on his face told the story. "Oh man, she busted your balls. Didn't she?"

The poor guy didn't respond. He finished his beer and stood. Kasper scurried behind him. "Let me get you a ride."

A guy appeared next to him. "I'm his brother."

Kasper saw the family resemblance as he held out his hand. "Kasper."

The younger man said, "I know who you are."

"Will you get him home and take care of him?"

"He's my brother."

Kasper nodded and patted Mac on the back, since it was what brothers did. He paid the tab and ordered his own ride home.

A year and a half later the memory was still fresh. He felt jealous of Mac for something he couldn't pinpoint. Gazing at Dani, it could be because she had let her guard down with the other man. It hit him that both Gray and Mac had a taste of her forbidden fruit. Kasper had a brush of her lips. He looked at the plump pink and wondered if a real taste would be sweeter.

"What are you looking at?"

He shook his head. "I was just wondering where you saw yourself in five years?"

She laughed. "Are you practicing your interview skills? What's your next TV show?"

"I don't know if there will be one. Apparently women aren't attracted to me."

"Your mother will be relieved. Tell me you would never have fallen in love with the squeaky one."

He laughed. "Mariah. This last one was less appealing."

"You need to meet someone worthy of your name."

"Kasper?" He winked.

"No. The Kane name."

"The champion of the Kanes. My mother should adopt you."

"I wish."

Kasper laughed. "I think you're too old."

Dani yawned. "I think I'll rest."

Kasper nodded and reclined. He didn't trust her, but she would never malign the family.

A time jump and babies!!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️