Her thoughts broke off as her daughter shot off her lap, snuggling complete. “I’m hungry, Mama. Can I go play?”

“Yes, I’ll call you when dinner’s ready.” She watched her daughter bound up the stairs, and with a sigh, Sydney headed to the kitchen. Her home was small but perfect for the two of them, a yellow-shingled bi-level on a dead-end road. With a small fenced-in yard and no worries about traffic, she felt safe and secure, tucked away from the world. She’d decorated the house with all the girly stuff she loved—throw pillows in bright teal, cozy afghans, and fuzzy throw rugs supersoft under bare feet. She liked her work ruthlessly organized and her house casually messy. A good thing, because Becca was a whirlwind of activity and she was constantly reminding her to pick up her toys so she didn’t trip on Barbie dolls, DVDs, and books.

Sydney opened the refrigerator, removing the thawed tilapia and slipping into mechanical mode. She still told Becca it was special chicken since her daughter gave her a hard time about eating fish. Dumping the fillet into a pan, she doctored it with citrus, dill and basil, olive oil, fresh garlic, and Himalayan salt. The potatoes were scrubbed and slid into the oven, and she grabbed a bag of frozen peas to steam—her child’s only accommodation to green vegetables. She removed a bottle of Chardonnay from the refrigerator and poured herself half a cup, sighing with pleasure at the first cold, fruity sip.

As she moved around the kitchen in a dance she could complete with her eyes closed, she mentally ticked down the list of items to complete before the weekend. Running Pierce Brothers was a challenge, but she took pride in the way she was able to consistently multitask and keep the office running smoothly. When she’d first started there and Christian Pierce was alive, she was a simple receptionist, learning the business from the ground up. Funny, she always knew that was exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She had no dreams to attend college or leave Harrington. She was happy in the quaint Northeast town, working in a family corporation where she was not only valued, but admired.

It had been Tristan who’d wanted to leave.

The memory caught hold and played out. God, how she’d loved him. Since she was twelve years old she’d been following him around like a lost puppy, thrilled at any type of attention he wished to throw her. She’d been like the annoying little sister to their crew of three, and though Cal and Dalton treated her more kindly, there were no burning, lustful feelings toward them.

Just Tristan.

As she struggled to finish high school, she was tortured by the long line of women Tristan brought home from college. How many times had she sat in his mother’s kitchen with a poisonous envy wracking her body? He’d say hello in that arrogant way of his, tug at her hair like she was a toddler, then parade his newest squeeze right in front of her. Diane Pierce knew early on how much Sydney adored her son and advised patience.

You both need to grow up a bit, sweetheart. And you’ll find each other if it’s meant to be.

Diane Pierce had been a mother figure, and Sydney was always welcomed. Her own mother had gotten pregnant at sixteen and taken off the moment she left the hospital, choosing not to return. Sydney never mourned her. She’d been lucky to be raised by her grandparents, who took care of all of her needs and gave her the love her mother couldn’t. But being a part of the Pierce family was something she’d always treasured.

When Diane was killed in a car crash years ago, the family had fragmented, spiraling into a series of events that ripped them apart. Since Diane had been discovered running away with another man, Christian Pierce had turned into a cold, empty father who treated his sons with harsh abuse. In the midst of grief and confusion, the brothers split up after a horrible fight. Dalton fled to California, Tristan headed to New York, and Cal remained behind to work beside his father.

They hadn’t spoken for five long years until their father’s death forced them to reconcile. The will had stated that the brothers needed to work together to run Pierce Brothers for a year or it would be sold off. After a rocky year of raw emotion, they had finally united as one, deciding to stay and run Pierce Brothers as the family business Diane had once dreamed of.

Sydney smiled as she thought of them now. Sure, they still ribbed one another like normal siblings, but there was a respect and love that hummed under the surface. They were finally healed and a real team. Over the past year, she’d watched both Caleb and Dalton fall in love with incredible women she now called friends. Morgan and Raven had become part of their family. This should have been one of the most satisfying times in her life.

If only she could stop thinking about Tristan.

The muffin incident was just one in a long stream of bad encounters. She tried to avoid him at all costs, hating the familiar sexual energy that surged between them and wrecked her concentration. They were barely able to have a polite exchange without one trying to attack the other. He refused to see her as a grown woman who’d made her own place in life. To him, she would always be the young girl he needed to guide and protect from the big bad world.

Even though in the end, he’d betrayed her.

She finished her wine, shaking her head to clear her thoughts. She’d just have to live with her lingering feelings. Keep avoiding him. Stick to business when they did converse. Be polite but distant. Eventually, she’d find a nice man to date and fall in love and leave Tristan Pierce behind for good.

Because he could never know.

AUTHOR PHOTOGRAPH BY MATT SIMPKINS

JENNIFER PROBST’s novels, novellas, and ebooks range from sexy contemporary romance to erotica. She lives in upstate New York. For more about this multitalented New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, visit jenniferprobst.

FOR MORE ON THIS AUTHOR: authors.simonandschuster/Jennifer-Probst

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