One minute Gray was returning Ana's toys before he started lunch and the next he was saying goodbye. Doyle. She wasn't Katherine, and she was as wealthy as Monty. If he learned anything in his years with his boss, boatloads of money didn't buy happiness. Monty found his happiness with Sofia. Before he met the Colombian American beauty, the rich boy drank too much and made bad choices. He may have been Gray's sponsor, but the favor went both ways.

Every time he looked at Doyle's bruises, it reminded him of when he fought with Monty to keep him from drinking. Monty returned the favor when he ran with him all night until he finally shared the story of Beth.

After years of missing Beth, he sat in his stark apartment and thought of the beauty with hazel eyes. Doyle was brave and incredibly sexy. Puzzled, he didn't understand why she let a chauffeur seduce her. She definitely wasn't like most rich girls.

Gray turned his head to the knock on the door before Monty walked in. They had lived together in a condo for years. The move to separate digs came before Ana's birth. Monty and Sofia needed to be a family without him around every second.

"So that was unexpected."

Gray sighed. "And I thought the guy was her John. She's as rich as you."

Monty laughed. "Her father, but she and I have plenty in common."

"I think her childhood was happy."

Monty dismissed him with a wave of his hand. "Obviously, not everything in common. As a father, I can't imagine Ana disappearing."

"She told me they knew she was away."

"Yeah, touring with Unhinged Rage. By the name alone, they're bad news."

Gray frowned. "People used to think you were bad news."

Monty laughed, but his mouth straightened quickly. "So you were just playing the hero? We thought you blew us off for a date."

"It was an excuse you'd buy."

"But?"

"No buts."

Monty stared at him and shook his head. "Take my advice. Don't go there. You may be family, but out there people see you as hired help."

"I'm not stupid." The higher pitch of his voice made Monty's eyes narrow.

"I came down to see if you want to join us for dinner. I need someone to talk to, my wife keeps talking about Tarzan."

"What's his deal?"

"He climbs coconut trees. They're twins."

Gray nodded. "The K."

Monty was halfway to the door. "Come up."

"I will because I miss Ana." Ever since Ana was born, his view for his future changed, with a sliver of envy because Monty created a life. The woman he wanted to create a life with left the desert in a box. He wasn't stupid enough to think the heiress would fall for him. After countless relationships, why did she feel different? Maybe because she needed him. Superman. He wished he were a man worthy of her. He would have to have been Monty's brother.

At dinner, he tried everything to steer the conversation away from his weekend guest. "How was your visit to Weston?"

Monty shrugged. "It's the weirdest thing. The old man enjoys seeing Ana. I doubt he even liked me as a baby."

Montgomery Senior's stroke trapped him inside his damaged brain unable to speak or use his right side. Gray thought the man deserved it for being a verbally abusive father and loathsome man.

Sofia touched her husband's arm. "You are a wonderful father."

Monty looked at Gray. "Old man Kane had a heart attack a while back. He looked healthy enough the last time I saw him. I hope his heart is alright after his daughter."

Sofia looked at Gray. "You should go around the world with Kasper on TV."

Monty winked. "I thought you called him Tarzan."

"I've met him, so I can call him Kasper. We should invite them to dinner."

Monty looked at Gray. "Maybe we should stick to a polite greeting when we end up in the same ballroom."

Gray let out his breath. He would hide in a no-parking zone where he belonged. "Any travel coming up?"

Their last trip was to Colorado to check out some stores Monty was buying. It was a family trip, including him." For more remote locations, he and Monty traveled together like old times, but they were never gone very long.

Monty sighed. "Trista needs an idea for her next book."

"I thought you and Oliver had decided." Sofia looked at Monty like he held up the moon.

Gray felt a longing deep inside, but pushed it away, by reaching over and squeezing a toy on the highchair tray. Ana had recently started joining them at mealtime. She was gnawing on a piece of frozen pizza crust. The toy squeaked, and she giggled.

Monty paused and listened to his daughter. With a grin, he continued, "I'm afraid to give Trista away. She's never cared about family dining before."

Gray laughed. "Neither have you."

"It'll be harder to go unnoticed with Ana."

"Everyone notices my beautiful bebé."

Gray shrugged. "You don't have to take her every time."

The trick to Trista anonymity was returning two or three times so they could sample the food without ordering too much. No one had any clue Trista ate more than once. Recently, Monty went with Sofia and then with Gray. If they needed a third trip occasionally the three would go together. Once in a while he would take Oliver for lunch.

Monty shrugged. "Maybe we'll try one for the magazine and see what the response is. Women my mother's age won't be happy."

"They have grandchildren," Gray added.

"You have a point." Monty turned his attention to Ana who was unhappy in her chair.

Gray learned people believed what they're told. Katherine. Doyle. In his mind, she was K.

"Just say your editor suggested a family restaurant and make a joke about flying solo. You've convinced everyone you have traveled alone for years."

On Gray's first adventure, Monty wrote an anonymous travel blog, but enjoyed the food posts the best. Gray had suggested he focus on the food. The name Trista was a spin on triste, meaning sad in Spanish. Monty fit the description and had paid therapists a fortune to help him. His friend was always happiest traveling, because Trista gave him purpose and self respect. Then Sofia came along and changed his life.

Gray didn't hang around after dinner. He knew they would be busy bathing Ana and putting her to bed. Maybe his reaction to K was because he didn't quite fit in like he had when it was just the three of them.

For the first time all weekend, he took out his laptop. Like a strike of lightning, he realized what his story was missing. His character needed a love interest. His weekend would have been different if he rescued a dude from being pummeled. He would have helped, but he doubted he would have brought him home. He might have taken him to the hospital, but most likely he would have just dialed 911. K fell for a hero. Although he always thought he was writing for guys, women read too.

A story came to him, his character would help a woman, but she wouldn't have been beaten, kidnapped maybe. It would set off a mystery and they would work together, but trust would be an issue. Maybe she would give him the wrong name. The ideas flowed as he mapped out a mystery. When he stood to take a piss, it was past midnight. He had worked for five hours and wanted to keep going, but Monty planned to go to the office in the morning. Monty had moved his bike into an adjacent office with a TV and a sofa. On days when Sofia didn't need him, Gray hung out there.

On Monday morning, Gray took out his phone while he drank his protein shake. He had woken early for a long workout. The local news reported on the return of the heiress with pictures of K walking into her house with her brother close behind. The hood hid her face. She would be upset if a picture of her face went viral. He felt a shiver; she lived close by, maybe only ten minutes by car.

Monty worked in his office all week since he needed to be available for a big deal. They were selling, not buying. He complained about not seeing Ana, so on Wednesday, Gray drove Sofia and Ana to have lunch with him. Monty spent more time showing Ana off than eating. On Thursday, he drove Monty home for lunch instead. During the hours Monty worked, Gray worked too. The best part about writing was he didn't think about Beth or Doyle. His focus was on his characters. Maybe it wouldn't be any good, but it was therapeutic.

Each morning he checked the news as camera crews hounded the band. Gray saw the guy Doyle had been with. He looked like a girl with his long hair. The females online thought he looked like the messiah. Gray didn't see it, and it wasn't because he was a Jew. The manager was out on bail after being arraigned on assault charges. Reporters camped around Doyle's home, but she stayed inside. He felt bad wishing for another tragedy, to take the attention off her.

On Friday morning, an exposé broke about the son of the Bates Financial family. The shareholders had sold the institution, but the accusations of sexual misconduct were staggering. On the way to Whitby headquarters, Monty asked if he had seen the news.

Gray ignored his ribbing tone. "I'm all up-to-date. Do you know the Bates guy?"

"Only who he was. You know my reputation."

Gray hated when his friend allowed untrue rumors to circulate. Most had stopped since he took over for his father. The most common was about him being a drunk. He hadn't been drunk since he married Sofia.

"What's he like?"

"A pig and most knew it. He and Leonard belong in the same jail cell. Do you know who was involved in getting Bates Financial out of the hands of the Bates? He made a killing off it too."

"Who?"

"Sinclair, and Philip Kane sat on their board."

"So? You know I don't care about business dealings."

Monty laughed. "The timing of this story dropping may not be a coincidence."

Gray smiled. "Sinclair is a good guy?"

Monty nodded. "For now. I like him."

Gray decided he did as well.

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