Time moved on and Tate hadn't heard from Duncan again. Her anger with Jimmy dulled, but it still bubbled under the surface.

Tate watched a five-year-old demonstrate the eight point blocking system. She smiled and shook her head. "Right foot." The left stepped. "Here." She bent over and wrote an R and L on her little feet with a washable marker. The other seventeen kids in the class giggled. Some had letters on their feet. "You need to practice." She looked towards the group. "Let's pair up and practice. Amy, please help Rose."

Her students only knew they liked her class. Attendance on Saturday morning proved it. Behind the mirror were proud parents watching their precious ones. Some of them might know Sensei Tate was a Kane. The dojo occupied space in a Kane building at a discounted rate. It was the only favor Tate had ever asked for from the company, meaning her father.

After class, little Rose ran to her father. "Say-say Tate wrote on me."

He laughed and looked at his daughter as if she held his heart. "It's Sensei, and I saw buttercup."

Tate cleared her throat. Every Saturday for a month, the handsome light haired man brought his daughter. She tried to remember if her father ever brought her to karate class. Most often, the nanny had taken her to classes after school. Thankful, her father only looked healthier, and as summer unfolded, he escaped on his sailboat.

The man looked up at her with raised eyebrows. She smiled. "See you next week, Rose."

He cleared his throat. "I think I work with a friend of yours at Martin, Walsh, and Blum."

"Ivy?"

He shook his head. "No. Priscilla Bates."

Tate chuckled remembering poor Baxter. "We're not exactly friends. She dated my brother and spread rumors about him."

"I don't pay attention to rumors. She invited me to a party at the Bates House. Will I see you there?"

The Bates's summer party was typically the first of the season, but they had postponed it because of the premature birth of Junior and Faith's son. Another male in the Bates' lineage. Tate had seen the baby at Faith's baby shower, also after the birth. The husky infant defeated the premature story. If the situation arose, Amelia would tell the same lie, but Kanes knew the importance of condoms. Oddly, Tate had broken the rule many times in one night, when two nights before her wedding date, she had not.

Dreading the Bates's party, she summoned a plastic smile. "I'd like to skip it. I'll look forward to seeing you and Rose's mother."

"Um, no. I have Rose to myself on weekends. I'll miss time with her to attend." He cleared his throat. "I won't have a date."

Tate smiled. "You should dance with your friend, Priscilla."

He smiled. "I'm not interested in dating a coworker."

"I'm not looking for a date. Your daughter is my student."

"I hope to see you." He smiled, as he took Rose's hand and walked away.

Tate shook her head. Normal guys didn't ask her out. Her family intimidated them. Duncan had won a million dollars and was cocky enough. She allowed herself to be duped, but not again, even with his cute daughter and hot dad vibe. Smiling, she didn't even know his name.

From what she had seen online, Duncan was single, but Jimmy wasn't. He was involved with a woman in Seattle. She had foolishly studied the pictures of them together at a museum gala. The tall woman was not beautiful enough for Jimmy. Did he call her beautiful like he had Tate? At least, she didn't have to see them together. The thought of him and various positions with another woman caused a hollow ache in her chest. She needed to date.

Sighing, she had a group of eight to ten-year-olds warming up. "Okay, everyone line up."

A chorus of yes, Sensei, set her firmly in the present.

With no invitations, Baxter planned an afternoon sail. When he mentioned it, Tate had joked. "What's dad going to do?"

"They're having dinner with friends. He can have his boat earlier."

Baxter took it in stride that their father spent his time on his boat. Tate worried about her parents. Although they had never been overtly affectionous, she grew up feeling secure in their union. Amelia took them on vacation, but Philip had a company to run. Philip took his children sailing on weekends. His wife hated to sail and limited her time on the boat to their Fourth of July tradition of sitting on the river waiting for the fireworks. Some of Tate's best memories were with her father when they set sail up or down the coast and spent the night on the boat like one big sleepover.

On his boat, Philip transformed from the formidable CEO, to the laughing and joking dad. Amelia wasn't a woman who was easy to please. Tate had witnessed her send her husband upstairs to change his tie as if the color was as offensive as one of Doyle's outfits. Was it possible Philip had spent over thirty years placating the woman? He must really love her a lot or not at all. Tate wanted someone to love her so deeply that no one would question it, like Baxter and Ivy.

Tate arrived at the marina on her own. Baxter waved to her as he checked the rigging. "Did dad have her out today?"

Baxter shook his head. "He, um, no. He didn't sail."

"Bax, I've been thinking about boat dad."

Baxter laughed. "Boat dad?"

"You know the guy who took us on two-day sails and fed us the crappy food mother would never allow."

Baxter smiled. "Those times were the best."

"I know and he was nothing like the man we lived with at home."

Baxter bit his lip. "The vacation was over."

"Was he happy with us because he had a break from her?"

Baxter shrugged. "We don't live with her anymore. She can be hard to please."

Tate giggled. Baxter was as diplomatic as a dinner party at an embassy. "Poor, Dad. That's all."

"I think Dad is content. I worry about you."

Tate felt the weight in her belly. "I'm fine. One of my student's dad kind of asked me out today."

"What do you mean kind of?" Baxter smiled amusingly.

"He mentioned he was going to the Bates's party without a date. The catch is Priscilla invited him."

"Seriously? Who is he?"

She shrugged. "He works with her."

Frown lines appeared on his forehead. "I doubt Ivy will know him."

"Where is she?" Tate looked around but only a blind person couldn't see she wasn't on deck.

"She'll be here. She went to visit Charles in case he was lonely."

"Charles, the butler?"

"She's convinced they're friends."

Ivy was going to turn Beacon Hill life on its head. "Where are the Sinclairs?"

"Elena and Joseph are in Italy. Poor Jimmy."

"There is nothing poor about Jimmy."

"It's just his parents were out of town and his aunt's housekeeper had to have emergency surgery."

"His aunt in the wheelchair?"

Baxter nodded. "His cousin flew back from Seattle to help but for twenty-four hours, he was in charge."

"I'm sure he had his driver pick up food."

Baxter laughed. "Not in the country. He called me to walk him through grilled cheese. I think he did okay."

Tate chuckled. "Was this today?"

"No, Thursday."

"I can't believe Jimmy Sinclair and Baxter Kane discussed how to make a sandwich in the middle of a workday."

Baxter laughed. "Danielle overheard and looked at me funny. I didn't tell her who I was talking to."

"Did you protect Jimmy's reputation?"

"Did I hear my name?"

Tate turned to see Jimmy walking towards them with Ivy. "Surprise! I twisted his arm."

Tate feasted on the tall man. His hair looked lighter from the summer sun, and his blue eyes sparkled in amusement. She drew her eyes to his cargo shorts and muscular legs. When she ripped her gaze away from his calves, his white tee and tan muscular arms were in the way. Her insides buzzed with excitement as her gaze bounced around like a pinball ball.

Gaining control, she frowned. "Surprise, I'm here. You remember you've been avoiding me for weeks or has it been months?"

Baxter grabbed Ivy's hand. "Help me down below."

Tate and Jimmy stared at each other. She refused to blink first.

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