JACK
　　He decided to drop in on his mother before returning to the Boathouse.
　　“Aren’t you supposed to be at the Boathouse?”
　　“I’m heading there now. Thought I’d stop by first.” Though his instincts were screaming at him not to, he added, “I actually had fun with you this morning.”
　　“Oh, darling, thank you for coming. I still want to know who you were texting.” When he merely grinned, not saying a word, she shrugged and continued, “Have you spoken to your brother?”
　　“Yes, why?”
　　“You didn’t answer his call this morning, and I got worried. I know how close you are, and I don’t want—”
　　“Mom, we’re fine. Please don’t try to fix something that doesn’t need fixing.” If his mother started meddling, she’d push Anna for details, and Anna would never be able to keep her mouth shut under pressure.
　　“Well, if you say so.” She still looked skeptical.
　　He was firm. “I mean it.”
　　She patted his hand. “MJ came by, looking for you.”
　　He closed his eyes and pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose. “It’s over between us, Mother, so I’m not sure why she was here.”
　　Why was MJ still clinging to a dead relationship? In his mind, they’d broken up a century ago.
　　“I know, you said so earlier. But she didn’t act like it was over.”
　　“I’ll talk to her. She shouldn’t be bothering you.”
　　“I know you will.”
　　Silence fell between them. His mother busied herself fixing him a sandwich. Habit, not anything he expected, though as he watched, he realized how hungry he was. When she set it before him, he practically inhaled the first half.
　　“When was the last time you ate?”
　　“I don’t know.” This was true. “I’ve been busy.”
　　She studied him, her piercing gaze enough to unsettle him. “Who is she?”
　　Jack winked. His mother always concluded any change, good or bad, was caused by a woman.
　　“Nobody you know. And no, we’re just starting out, so you can’t meet her.”
　　“Don’t be mean.”
　　He didn’t break eye contact with her. “I’m serious. No.”
　　“Does Adrian know?”
　　“What do you think? He is my own personal empath. It’s extremely annoying.”
　　She burst into laughter. “I heard what you did, by the way.”
　　He froze. What the fuck was she talking about? He couldn’t think of anything he’d donerecently that he wanted his mother to know about. “What’d I do?”
　　“Thank you for convincing them to come and visit.”
　　The tension in his shoulders unfurled. “Oh. That.” His racing heart floundered and stuttered to a meeker pace. “I didn’t just do it for you. I miss the guy, too.”
　　“I know it’s not easy for you, darling.”
　　“No, it isn’t.” His voice was raw. No matter how old he was, she could still reduce him to his core without even trying. “At least we’ll get to celebrate our thirty-thirdbirthday together.”
　　“Will your mystery girl be there?” his mother asked, batting her eyes innocently.
　　“Maybe. Early days, Mom.”
　　“Oh, I cannot wait to meet her, Jack. You look so happy.”
　　“I’m dreading it.”
　　She hit him with the dishcloth she had draped over her shoulder. “Hush and eat your sandwich.”
　　He took another bite. “Is Dad back yet?”
　　“No, he’s enjoying the water too much. You know how Lake Tahoe is this time of year.”
　　“Yeah, I almost joined them, but then my life wouldn’t have been what it is now. I’m glad I didn’t.” The words popped out of his mouth before he could consider them.
　　“Oh, you really like this girl.” His mother placed her hands on Jack’s shoulders, locking their gazes for a few seconds too long before hugging him.
　　“Don’t make it creepy.”
　　“I won’t. But don’t hide her from me forever, Jack.”
　　“I’ll try my damn best, because then I get to keep her to myself.”
　　She raised an eyebrow. “You are so mean today.”
　　“Because I know you. You go over the top. I’m scared she’ll run away when she meets you.”
　　Again, this came out before he considered it. The second he heard it, he realized how hurtful it must have seemed.
　　But even as he opened his mouth to soften his words, his mother, unmoved, said, “She won’t. I want to meet her. But only when you are ready, okay, darling?”
　　He blinked. “Sure, no problem.”
　　She smiled, leaving Jack to finish his sandwich in her pristine kitchen.
　　He arrived at the Boathouse just before six and did a quick walkthrough to make sure everything was up to his standards.
　　“Everything ready?”
　　“Ready as can be, Jack. MJ’s waiting for you in the bar,” Lilly whispered the last bit.
　　“Ugh.” He ran a hand over his face and reluctantly approached the bar.
　　His ex was perched on a barstool, gorgeous as ever. Her eyes were puffy, her face red andsplotchy. She sniffled.
　　Jack looked to the ceiling. “MJ, please. You know the connection between us is not—”
　　“Rebecca-fucking-Finlay, Jack?”
　　He froze, his heart skipping a few beats. “Excuse me?”
　　If a look could cut, he’d be bleeding. “I saw her leaving the Boathouse this morning.”
　　He closed his eyes. “It’s not what you think…”
　　She scoffed at that.
　　He knew he wouldn’t be able to dodge this particular bullet.
　　“MJ, please, you can’t tell anyone.” His heart beat wildly, threatening to burst through his chest.
　　“How do I even compete with that, Jack?”
　　“I don’t want you to compete.” He sighed. “We don’t have a connection, MJ.”
　　“That is bullshit, Jack.”
　　“No, it’s not. When I was with you, I felt…trapped.”
　　She stared at him. “I never treated you like…”
　　“I know, but I still felt it. I’m sorry, but I can’t force a connection that doesn’t exist. You were Kate’s best friend, but that was it, MJ. I can’t continue lying to you or to myself. It’s unfair to us both. But I’m begging you. Don’t tell anyone.”
　　“The world is going to eat you alive, Jack. If you were a different person, I would’ve wished you good luck and told you to go for it.” She bared her teeth in a cruel smile. “But you don’t want this.”
　　“I know. But I want her. As far as the rest is concerned, I’ll cross that bridge when I get there. Now, as a friend, can I trust you not to tell anyone?”
　　“Sure. Just look out for yourself, Jack. Celebrities—”
　　“She isn’t like that.”
　　MJ studied his face intently. “You really do feel something for her.”
　　“I do,” he said honestly. “When I’m with her, she makes the ache of missing Kate less. I think we have a shot, but it’s going to take a village to keep my identity a secret. No one can know.”
　　“Does your mother know?”
　　“Hell, no. MJ, I would like us to remain friends, if that’s possible. I do value your friendship.”
　　“I’ll help you, but under one condition.” She raised one finger, seeming to enjoy hisrapt attention. “I want to be there when you tell your mother.”
　　“Play your part and you will. Promise.” He hugged her. “I’m sorry things couldn’t be different between us.”
　　“Things happen. I deluded myself. Good luck with this…” She looked like she’d bitten into something sour. “Umm…relationship.” She placed a tender kiss on his cheek and hurried away.
　　“Everything okay?” Lilly asked, her expression earnest. “She had a scary glint in her eyes when she walked in here tonight.”
　　He nodded. “All fine. I broke up with her.”
　　“Oh? For how long this time, Jack?”
　　He gave a rueful laugh. “For keeps. I finally came to my senses. Now, don’t you have work to do?”
　　Lilly examined him with deep skepticism. “Good for you for getting her out of your system.”
　　He poked her arm and headed down to his room to get dressed for work.
　　His mind drifted to Rebecca. Worry punched him in the gut. He hated planes with a passion, and knowing she was on one, knowing he wouldn’t hear from her for another couple of hours…he didn’t like it. He looked at the ceiling and sent a quick prayer her way.
　　He couldn’t endure another loss like that.
　　BECKY
　　The minute she stepped onto the tarmac, she texted Jack that she had landed safely and was on her way home. He replied with a kissing-face emoji. She pocketed her phone.
　　Worry gnawed at her. She was scared to get her hopes up about whatever was going on between them, because Jack just seemed too good to be true.
　　He had to have some strange, unspeakable flaw. Their last moment together had been…weird. She was terrified that when his big flaw revealed itself, it would be too late for her to tell him to take a hike.
　　All she could do was hope like hell she was wrong.
　　She was so dazed, she arrived home without any real sense of how she got there. Both of her kids gave her a lukewarm greeting, barely peeling themselves from what they were doing to say hello and allow her to give them a peck on the cheek.
　　It was hard not to feel hurt.
　　My fault,she told herself. I’m away too much. I’m too disconnected. It’s my fault.
　　“You look different.” Cass’ voice shattered her reverie hours later as she hunched over her laptop. “Everything okay?” She leaned against the doorframe of Becky’s office, her expression concerned, yet somehow gentle.
　　“Yeah…” She sighed. She needed to clue Cass in. “I met someone. He has enormous potential. I’m just scared.”
　　Cass’ eyes widened, and a huge grin spread across her lips. “Are you shitting me? It’s about time. Haven’t I been telling to get out there more? I want to know everything.” She plopped onto a chair and scooted close to Becky, leaning forward and resting her chin in her hand. “Oh, my word, he has his talons deep into you, doesn’t he?”
　　“Literally and figuratively.”
　　She gasped. “Becky! Already?”
　　“You don’t understand. He melts my brain with just a look.”
　　Cass made an appreciative face. “Ooh. Tell me about him. Does he have kids?”
　　She smiled. “No. He’s younger.”
　　“How young?”
　　She squirmed in her seat. “I’m not sure.”
　　“Rebecca! You don’t even know how old he is?”
　　Becky shrugged, a sly smile curving her lips.
　　“What do Mona and Mervyn think?”
　　“Mona is happy for me. But I’m worried about Mervyn. With me, he’s the old Mervyn, the sweet guy who made me believe in myself. But when he’s not around me? His ego seems to have grown exponentially, and I get the feeling he’s brewing up ways to make me even bigger. And I don’t want that. I just want to write.”
　　“Maybe I should talk to him.”
　　“No, I don’t want him to think I don’t trust him, because I do.”
　　“Okay, I won’t say anything.” She straightened her shirt as if to say, time to get serious. Now, I want all the details on this younger guy.”
　　Becky laughed and proceeded to tell Cass everything she knew about Jack. She brought up the Boathouse’s website on her laptop and turned it to show Cass.
　　Cass gaped. “He owns this?”
　　“He does. I met him the night of the fan fiasco. He didn’t even know who I was. But he’s such a sweetheart. He entertained the crowd at the signing today. Everyone seems to love him.”
　　“Wait, you had a signing today?”
　　“Very impromptu. I went up to modify my contract to insure that asshole Paul couldn’t work with me again. And then Mervyn told me that Steven begged for a quick signing. But now that I think about it, I’m not so sure, because Steven wasn’t even there.”
　　“Well, that’s it. I’ll have a word with him. He’s supposed to communicate these things to me. I need to stay on top of your schedule. He told me nothing about the signing.”
　　Becky sighed. She’d known something was up when Cass hadn’t sent her a good luck text before the signing. But she didn’t want to have anything to do with drama, and this reeked of it. “Do what you need to do. Just don’t tell him I’m doubting him.”
　　“Never.” Cass pushed herself up from her chair. “Now, get this Jack guy to send you a photo. I want to see if he’s as gorgeous as you say he is.”
　　Becky giggled. “I’ll see what I can do.”
　　Her phone buzzed, and warmth spread in her belly when she saw it was as message from Jack.
　　Getting off in a few. If you’re awake, we can chat.
　　I’m still up. I’m tired, but I always have time for a quick chat.
　　Are we still talking about chatting?
　　She laughed at that, and Cass popped her head around the door.
　　“Is that him? Tell him I want a pic.”
　　Send me a photo. My assistant needs it for security reasons.
　　Sure thing.
　　A minute passed before her phone buzzed again. The image he sent had her laughing out loud. He was dressed like a pirate, a dorky grin on his face.
　　“Oh, man.” Becky snorted.
　　“Let me see.”
　　“He’s being idiotic.”
　　“Well, any person who can make you laugh that way is far from idiotic. Show me.”
　　Becky turned her phone around so Cass could see the photo.
　　She let out a low whistle. “Damn.”
　　“I know.”
　　“He’s a chef, you say? How do people trust chefs who look like that?”
　　Becky shrugged. “He says it’s all about the product he serves.”
　　“We should ask him to help with the twins. They hate my food.”
　　Becky gasped. “Brilliant! I didn’t even think about that, Cass.”
　　“That’s why you have me, Becks.”
　　She looked down at the floor. “Yes, but I’m their mother. It should’ve been the firstthing I asked him. I suck at this.”
　　“You don’t suck as a mother. You work your ass off to provide for them. They’re like all the other kids who just make do. You give them the best of the best.”
　　Becky sniffed. Cass was right. Her children were spoiled rotten. Well, she’d make it a priority to ask Jack for a few recipes.
　　Is your assistant happy with the photo?
　　More than. She took one look at it and practically drooled. I think she wants toeat you up.
　　He replied with the laughing/crying emoji.
　　You are all crazy. I now feel like the only normal person in the world.
　　You are far from normal, Jack Priestley.
　　They texted back and forth until late into the night. She’d asked him for help with her children’s dietary needs—they were both gluten-free, sugar-free, and dairy-free, andhence hadn’t enjoyed a meal since the doctors had advised her to cut those things out of their diets when they were still toddlers.
　　They made a date to Skype the next day. He would walk her through the steps of preparing their meal. She’d look at it as a one-on-one lesson with a celebrity chef, and then she’d let him know if he’d made the cut.
　　A goner—that’s what she was for this hobo manof hers. She could easily fall head over heels in love with him.
　　Deep down, she desperately wanted it to work. But it was so different from when she’d met Phil. There had been no need for secrecy back then, because no one knew who she was. This was unfamiliar territory. Nothing to compare it to. No normal.
　　The next day, she spent writing her newest novel, clacking away at the keys on her typewriter. Several hours in, she realized that not only was the hero similar to Jack, she’d even named him Jack.
　　For the first time in a long time, she was living in a book-worthy story.
　　Jack was relatively normal and she was famous. New plots unfolded in her head. There wasnothing about her life since meeting Jack that she wanted to change. He wouldn’t be happy, but she had to explore this story.
　　The main character was based on herself—although a younger version—and her status wasQueen of Pop, not The Queen of the Literary World.
　　The words flowed from her fingertips as she put the past couple of days down on paper.
　　Nobody but Jack would ever know it was nearly the unadulterated truth.
　　A title jumped into her head: From a Jack to a King. Perfect.
　　Her phone buzzed, jarring her from her writing.
　　Hope you’re on your way to Zach’s polo game! Otherwise, you’re going to be late.
　　She jumped up. Shit. “Cass!”
　　“Yes?” Cass stepped into her office.
　　“What time’s Zach’s game?”
　　“I didn’t think you were going to go.”
　　“Of course I’m going. I promised.”
　　“Okay, don’t panic.” She went into high gear. “We can still make it.”
　　They rushed out the door. Tears pricked Becky’s eyes as she got into the passenger seatof the SUV. She had barely spoken to the twins last night, and this morning they were already gone by the time she woke up.
　　“Hey.” Cass squeezed her knee. “It’s going to be okay, Becks. You’re only human. You can only do so much.”
　　“I shouldn’t forget things like this. Phil never did. Fuck. Fuck.”
　　“Calm down. You will be there. Promise.” Cass careened onto the freeway, gunning the engine.
　　Becky’s phone rang. It was Jack. “Don’t tell me you forgot.”
　　“I’m a fucking useless mom.”
　　“You’re not useless, sweetheart. I’ll just remind you earlier next time.”
　　She laughed without mirth. “I’m on my way.”
　　“Keep me updated. I love water polo.”
　　“I bet you do.”
　　When she ended the call, Cass glanced at her. “Oh, honey, he’s a keeper.”
　　“Don’t say that. I just know this is going to blow up in my face. He doesn’t like the celebrity life, wants nothing to do with it. And that worries me.”
　　“Well, we’ll simply make sure that doesn’t happen. I’ll set up a Skype meeting with Mervyn and Mona. They get paid to handle shit like this. They have to step up and do it.”
　　“Where would I be without you?”
　　Cass smirked. “Still alive, but barely.”
　　“I doubt my kids would be alive without you.”
　　“Would you give yourself a break? Stop beating yourself up. Not even Zach or Chloë giveyou this much punishment.”
　　“They hardly speak to me. That’s punishment enough.”
　　“I know. But they’re teenagers. Teenagers aren’t even human. Aliens take over between ages thirteen and twenty-one.”
　　Becky laughed through her tears.
　　“They’re just trying to find their place, and believe it or not, they try to make you proud.”
　　“Maybe we should go away for another vacation or something.”
　　“Say the word and I’ll book it.”
　　They arrived at the school. Becky was out of the car the moment Cass parked it. She ran toward the swimming pool, following the roar coming from the bleachers. She used to be in that crowd, cheering her kids on with abandon. But then her life changed.
　　Settling into a seat, her eyes searched the pool for her son and found him. She barely noticed what was going on in the game, just watched him like the proud mother she was. Zach managed to steal the ball at one point and scored. The crowd went wild around her, but no one screamed louder than she did.
　　The game zipped by. Zach scored two more times. Then the whistle blew. It was over. Zach’s team had won.
　　The cheers from the crowd around her filled her with pride. Those shouts were for her son. Sure, for the rest of the team as well, but all she saw was Zach.
　　Zach sauntered over to them. He’d seen Cass in the crowd, but he hadn’t seen his mother.
　　“You beaut. That was amazing!” Cass cried.
　　“That was freakin’ awesome, sweetie!” Becky said as she came up behind him. “I’m soproud of you.” She cupped his face and kissed him on his head.
　　“Mom!” He grinned. “What are you doing here?”
　　“I promised I wouldn’t miss your game, didn’t I?”
　　“I’m going to get Chloë from her drama class. Be right back.” Cass hurried away.
　　Becky hooked her arm through her son’s. “Let’s go.”
　　“Great game, Zach. Nice seeing you, Rebecca,” one of the dads said.
　　She merely smiled.
　　“I think he likes you,” Zach muttered.
　　“Chloë’s mom,” one of his teammates sang to the tune of Fountains of Wayne’s Stacy’s Mom.
　　Zach’s expression morphed into a glare, but then he grinned.
　　Becky bumped shoulders with him. “How do you guys even know that song? It’s so old.”
　　“James loves the oldies.”
　　She frowned. She’d heard his peers joking that she was his older sister, not his mother. “Is that why our house is always filled with your classmates?”
　　Zach shrugged.
　　“Bye, Ms. Finlay. Zach, see you tomorrow, dude,” James said, heading over to his father.
　　“See you, James.” Zach looked sideways at his mother. “You haven’t come to a game inforever.”
　　“I know, sweetie. I’m sorry. But things are going to change. I promise.”
　　He nodded and smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. Becky knew he thought it was another empty promise.
　　They met Chloë and Cass at the SUV. “Sheesh, it’s going to hail,” Chloë said, not bothering to greet her mother.
　　“Hey, stop being a drama queen,” Zach snapped. “She came to watch my game, and I’m glad she did.”
　　As they climbed into the car, Chloë smacked him hard. “Shut up.”
　　Cass pulled out of the parking lot.
　　“She comes to one game and suddenly you think the sun shines out of her ass,” Chloë mumbled.
　　“Damn it, Chlo, let it go. Mom busts her ass every day. But she promised me she wouldn’t miss the game, and she didn’t. So just drop it.”
　　“Do you want me to stop?” Cass yelled. “Because I will, and the two of you can walk your asses home.”
　　Becky looked out of the window, tears running down her cheeks. Her daughter hated her.
　　“Are you guys done fighting?”
　　“Yes, Cass,” Zach said.
　　“Chloë?”
　　Becky glanced back at her daughter, who remained quiet.
　　“Chloë?”
　　“Yes!” she snapped.
　　“That’s better.” Cass gave Becky a small smile. “See? I told you. Teenagers are barely human.”
　　Becky nodded, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. Her favorite song came on the radio and she turned up the volume.
　　Zach was forgiving, but it would take forever to win Chloë over.