Sora drove up to Sam's house on the beach with her son in tow.

"Guess where we're going. We're going to see Daddy and Sam! Aren't you excited?"

Tommy squirmed in his car seat. He responded to her smiles with even bigger smiles, leading her to guess his gums weren't bothering him too much. She tried to make sure she looked happy when she took him to see his father, because she didn't want him to be upset when she was. Anthony was her problem, not Tommy's.

They sang a rousing chorus of the Old MacDonald song as she carried him to the front door.

Sam answered within a minute of her ringing the bell and let them in. The brothers greeted each other fondly, exchanging exaggerated high-fives and indistinct male sounds. Anthony was shirtless as if he'd been working out. Sora allowed her gaze to linger momentarily, but the thrill was gone. She loved with her mind first and then her heart; once those faiths were lost, there wasn't much left for desire.

She passed Tommy's overnight bag to father after passing Tommy to Sam. They can't cause too big a disaster between them...can they? She trusted Anthony to be responsible whether or not she trusted him to be wise.

"I've included a set of instructions in the front pocket of Tommy's bag. It should have all the information you need on it: Tommy's bed time, what he likes to eat, what helps him get to sleep, what to do if he wakes up in the middle of the night. It's all there. If you can't soothe him, call me. He likes hearing my voice."

"I think me and Sam can handle it."

I trust Sam. That'll have to do. "Okay. I'll get going." Sora stopped to kiss Tommy goodbye. "Be good for Daddy. I'll be back before you know it." Tommy waved bye-bye and Sora waved back once she'd reached the door.

"You headed somewhere special?"

"Out. You can reach me on my cell at any time, no matter what the hour." Sora blew her baby another kiss. "Bye, sweetie."

"Is it true? Are you really locking libidos with the dressmaker?"

Sora released a long sigh of exasperation and turned to face her ex again. "You've asked me that already."

"I'm asking again."

"For the record, 'dressmaker' isn't an insult, it's a job description. Is that the best you can do? Hana's really done a number on you. You used to be crafty and insightful. Funny, if nothing else."

"Tommy's not ready to hear what I think of Ravi Misra."

"I hope you grow up before he gets old enough to understand what you're saying." She turned to her former stepson. "Remember what I said about the list."

"Got it," Sam confirmed.

"Great. Then, I'll wish you gentlemen goodnight. Don't have too much fun."

"Same to you," Anthony remarked.

"I intend to have all the fun I can squeeze in." Sora shot Anthony a smirk and took her leave.

She was still laughing at the appalled look on Anthony's face as she drove away from Sam's beach house. She shook her head to herself. Anthony is a multimillionaire living with his adult son. She could say for certain she no longer understood the man she'd married.

...

...

Sora found her way to Ravi's beachfront walkup easily. He's not far from Sam, is he?

She trudged around the side to find Ravi standing on the terrace overlooking stretches of sand as high tide rolled in. He'd shed his coat and tie for jeans and a close-fit Henley that made Sora stand back a moment to realize appreciate the view. The beach had nothing on him. When she'd looked her fill, Sora climbed the scrubbed wood stairs to reach him.

"Have you been waiting long?"

He glanced away from the indigo waters. "Nah, just taking in the view. The water's stunning."

"It's like having your thinking place right at home."

"I think even better when you're around." He lifted his arm to invite her under. She slipped into his space easily and looped her arms around him to snuggle close. He exhaled and rubbed his cheek in her hair.

She took this chance to sate her curiosity.

"What brought on the sudden move? I'm sure Manny wouldn't have minded you sticking around."

"Dad and I had some words after the gala. Things got a little heated and I decided to strike out on my own."

"He disapproves of us being together." Sora hadn't ever been the popular Gallegos, yet this was totally new ground.

"He considers our relationship a distraction from business. Misra took a hit when the heist stunt leaked to the press. More bad publicity could sink us."  Oneof the fashion house's PR cogs had thought faking a dress heist would drum upsome positive publicity for the company last year. All it had turned into was ahuge disaster. Sora sighed thinking about it. 

"That's not going to happen. We were outed by the press before we became a couple. June was it. The only stories left are engagements, breakups, cheating, or unexpected pregnancy, none of which are in the cards for us."

"Way to take the wind out of a guy's sails." Despite his obvious attempt at levity, Sora didn't feel like laughing.

"It's too soon for everything. This is the honeymoon phase, where you think I'm terrific instead of neurotic and more affectionate than cloying. I still think you're mysterious and charming, not secretive and manipulative. Those feelings fade and what's left is our relationship."

Sora replayed what she'd just said in her head as his brows beetled together in consternation.

"I might have been too honest too soon."

His expression cleared. "No, honest is good. I don't want us to have a relationship where we lie to keep the peace. Tell me the truth. If I'm not man enough to hear it, I shouldn't be with someone as honest as you."

"The same goes for you. I like you honest."

"I'm not always honest. I mean to be; it's just difficult sometimes when it can change things."

"Be honest with me. If your feelings change—"

"It's not about my feelings. They're going strong. Other stuff...can't do that yet."

Sora worried about the secrets Ravi left on the cutting-room floor of their conversations.

"Is it everything with Narsi?"

"That's an issue for another evening. I want to spend tonight with you."

"Unpacking?"

"Yeah. I'm building a life, and since you have my old house, I have to start someplace. Why not here?"

Sora gave Ravi's place a gander. It was by no means a fixer-upper. Based on the location alone, she could infer that he'd paid a pretty penny for this piece of prime real estate. It was well-maintained, neat, modern and comfortable; all signs indicated a positive investment. But he should be with me.

"I like it."

"Took you a minute to decide."

"Took me a minute to look at it."

"You don't like it."

"I...don't really have a dog in this race. I don't live here."

"You'll visit, though, right? It's kind of silly of me buying a place when I can't even get the woman I love to visit."

"I'll visit when you invite me."

"You don't need an invitation."

"You know you don't need one with me."

"With everything going on everywhere, I shouldn't be showing up announced. The paparazzi love that stuff."

"You don't care about the paparazzi. You grew up with them. You care because of me; you don't need to. And if it's the Misra trouble, you're worried about, I wouldn't lose much sleep over it, since you may recall that I pretty much run the media."

"You do, don't you? You're damned powerful. D'you have any idea how sexy that is?"

"Refresh my memory. I think you were about to show me earlier."

"Yes, I was."

He walked her inside to give her a guided tour of the beach house. Sora wasn't sad to say they didn't get farther than the bedroom.