If Tate could avoid the Bates's summer party she would. The list for not attending was long. One, Junior, was a pig. Two, Faith was a fake friend. Tate was mature enough to unravel the reasons she collected fake friends for years. The same reason for so much in her life. Three, did she want to see Jimmy again? Need and want were hard to differentiate in her life. She had never needed the basics like food and shelter. Kasper had to live without on his island. Still, she was certain she needed Jimmy — preferably to see but not talk to him. Four, her brother wasn't attending, neither were the twins. Five, Priscilla. They had the potential of being friends until Priscilla spread lies about Baxter proving she was fake.

The reasons to attend did not outweigh the above. One, her mother wanted her to. She liked to please Amelia. Two, karate dad was cute. Three, it was confusing, but Jimmy promised he would dance with her. Like a junkie needing a fix, she needed to feel his arms around her. The curse of the cross made her fall in love with a man who would never love her back.

His commitment stopped at being the hero. If Junior tried to touch her, Jimmy would be there in a flash to rescue her. Then he would say he did it for Baxter. Tate didn't need help to handle Bates. She had put him on the floor years ago. He had cornered her. Her cheeks burned as she remembered Jimmy had been nearby.

Her focus should be on Karate dad. She had looked up his name on Rose's emergency form. Thomas Olson. It looked like the girl's mother filled out the form. Tate wondered what it was like to be tied to a man she no longer loved. She would hate it if she had to write Duncan on forms or worse see him because they shared a child. Oddly, writing James Sinclair wouldn't be as awful. Don't get excited, a Kane would never use pregnancy as a trap.

Maybe she would enjoy talking to Thomas. Let Jimmy see she could date too. Satisfied with the way she looked in the mirror of her childhood bedroom, she went downstairs. Her dress was an A-line, tea length in sapphire with a strapless bodice. She wore her favorite sandals of the season with two thin crystal embedded straps across the foot and another that wrapped three times around her ankle. With a four-inch stiletto, they were gorgeous, but one misstep away from a broken ankle.

Tate found her father in the parlor dressed in a suit pouring a scotch. "Does Mother know you're drinking?"

"Not if you sit between us in the car." His eyes twinkled, before he sighed. "She allows me one drink, so she'll never know."

"You sound like a naughty child sneaking a cookie."

"She treats me like a child. Telling me what I can and can't eat. Thank goodness she lets me on my boat."

"You love that boat." It might be his true love. "Did you kiss it the first time you wore the cross?"

He laughed, but then he frowned. "Generations of Kane's found suitable mates with or without the cross. You will not be the first one to find love despite the lore."

"What do you mean?"

"I know things didn't work out with the Dawson boy, but it wasn't the cross's fault. You aren't damned to only have heartbreak because you kissed some boy at sixteen. You will find a man you care about enough to make a life with."

"Care about? That's not love."

"There are many shapes of love. Love of a child, love of a lifelong companion, love of a lover."

"But dad, I want true love. Are you saying I can't find it?"

"If anyone can, it will be you. Your brother reminded me that there is no love like the one the cross finds." His face fell as he finished the sentence.

She couldn't say anything because she knew she would love Jimmy Sinclair until her dying breath. She loved him before the fateful kiss. Never had she expected to get her kiss the first time she wore the cross. She had already decided to not kiss a boy until she could kiss Jimmy. It shocked her when he pulled her away from the party.

The gathering was not for her birthday. One of her friends was having a party at her Marblehead mansion. The family had a home in Boston, but also a waterfront mansion north of the city for weekends and the summer. The home sat by a rocky cliff above the Atlantic Ocean. It was beautiful and dangerous. She remembered standing on the lawn looking down.

Jimmy had come up behind her and laughed. "Baxter would threaten to push you."

"No, he wouldn't. The twins would fool around too close to the edge and fall."

"The sea looks angry. It reminds me of that time on the boat. I thought we were going to die."

"I know." She looked him in the eyes willing him to love her not...

She came across the lawn. "There you are. Jimmy, I want you to meet my friend."

Tate hid her frown as her best friend looped her arm possessively around Jimmy's. It was hard watching the golden couple, when she had loved him for two years.

Amelia entered the room. "Oh good, Tate, you're ready. You looked beautiful."

"Mother, you look stunning."

Philip, who had put his glass down before his wife arrived, smiled. "I concur. Shall we get this over with?"

Mac stood as Tate slid in and stopped in the middle. Amelia sat down next, but Philip walked around the car and sat next to his daughter.

Tate replayed her conversation she had just had with her father. Did she blame the cross for Duncan not loving her? She tried to love him, but never did. She almost married him, but wanted more than a man she cared about enough to make a life with. That sounded like misery. Her father had also worn the cross for years and met his younger wife when he was into his thirties. Had he just described his own marriage? Her parents had certainly made a life together, despite their differences. Amelia hated the boat and Philip broke her rules a lot. Tate's eyes opened to a new possibility. Maybe she should ask Baxter what he thought.

The ride was too short to process her concerns. "Do we have to stay long?"

Amelia shook her head. "Your father's heart requires extra rest."

Tate smiled but Philip rolled his eyes. "I'm healthy. My doctor has assured you, but you won't believe him."

Amelia was too busy smiling and holding her head high to reply. The mother of four loved the admiration that came with being a Kane.

The moment Tate stepped into the backyard, she saw his head above Bates Senior who he was talking to. Like her father, he opted for a suit. No one would attend the Kane party without evening clothes, but the Bates had downgraded their own reputation and as she looked away from the blue eyes which met her for an instant, she saw mostly suits.

Tate's first stop was for a glass of wine. The champagne was flowing, but she had been avoiding it. Memories of cake were too strong.

A voice behind her causes her to turn around. "You look very nice."

She smiled. "I couldn't wear my gi so I threw on this old dress."

"If you say so. My guess is you don't wear your gi to work."

She laughed and shook her head, but wondered if he googled her. "So what do you think?"

"It's filled with important people."

"I saw the partners at your firm. Are you on the fast track to make partner?"

"I have a lot to prove. Every relationship I've had has ended because I work too much."

"Your relationship with Rose hasn't suffered."

He frowned. "I only see her on weekends. Things didn't work with her mother because of it."

"How long have you been divorced?"

He shook his head. "I'm not." She stepped back. "Because we never married. But to answer your question, we tried to make it work after Rose was born for about six months. She's married now."

"So you've never married?"

"No, have you?"

"If you've googled me, you should know I have not."

He smirked. "But you came close. That must have been difficult."

"Humiliating." She took a big gulp. "I need to mingle."

"Can we dance before the night is over?"

She nodded. "We may not stay too long. My father's heart. He needs his rest."

She turned and stepped around the crowd right in front of Faith and Priscilla with their heads together. Silly turned to her and put her hands on her hips. "Tate, hands off Tom. I invited him for myself."

"I hardly know him. I know his daughter better. He mentioned he works with you."

"Not my department. In mergers and acquisitions, but he's perfect for me."

"Because you love children?"

"No, because he comes from a respectable family."

"I don't know anyone in his family other than little Rose."

Priscilla huffed. "His father is Tom Walsh, as in Martin, Walsh and..."

"Blum. I get it. I thought his last name was Olson."

"It is. He's a step or something, but he's going to be a partner."

"I'm thrilled for you. I agreed to a dance, but will beg off since I didn't realize you were dating."

"We aren't yet. Just don't get in my way."

"I'll dance with him to be polite if he asks me." She smiled. "Faith, how's the baby?"

"Good. Motherhood is a wonderful profession."

"I applaud you for not having a nanny."

Faith laughed. "Of course, we have a nanny. You know babies can't be left alone."

"I read that somewhere." A pang in her heart as she wished her first ever best friend was hearing how fake these two were. How did she stand being friends with Faith for years? Because it was easier than caring and then she let her guard down with Ivy. At least she made one good choice.

"Is Baxter really engaged?"

Tate nodded. "He fell head over heels for Ivy. They are perfect together."

"But your mother doesn't approve."

"That's not true. Excuse me, I need to get another glass." She held up her empty wineglass.

It surprised her to see Thomas and Jimmy standing together by the bar. Both turned to her at the same time and smiled. Her eyes met Jimmy's and refused to look away "You two know each other."

Jimmy looked at Tom. "I was about to ask you the same thing."

"My daughter has taken up karate."

Jimmy smiled. "She must have an excellent teacher. Tom and I were discussing business. You promised me a dance."

"You've caught me. I've promised both of you, but Tom, Priscilla would very much like to dance with you."

He sighed. "I've dated five women like her. Rose has hated them all. She likes you, but I would never step on your toes, Sinclair."

Before Tate could protest. Jimmy grabbed her hand. "Dance with me, please."

She could never say no to his beautiful blue eyes.

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