THE WIFE STALKER
Liv Constantine

Copyright

Published by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

1 London Bridge Street

London SE1 9GF

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2020

First published in the USA in 2020 by Harper, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers

Copyright © Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine 2020

Cover design by Claire Ward © HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2020

Cover photographs © Marcos Appelt / Arcangel (woman), Caimin Jones / Arcangel (swimming pool), Shutterstock.com (all other images)

Lynne Constantine and Valerie Constantine assert the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents portrayed in it are the work of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Source ISBN: 9780008363833

Ebook Edition © May 2020 ISBN: 9780008363840

Version: 2020-04-17

Dedication

Lynne’s dedication: for Nick and Theo

Valerie’s dedication: for my sons

Contents

Cover

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

Chapter 1: Piper

Chapter 2: Joanna

Chapter 3: Piper

Chapter 4: Joanna

Chapter 5: Piper

Chapter 6: Joanna

Chapter 7: Piper

Chapter 8: Joanna

Chapter 9: Piper

Chapter 10: Joanna

Chapter 11: Piper

Chapter 12: Joanna

Chapter 13: Piper

Chapter 14: Joanna

Chapter 15: Piper

Chapter 16: Joanna

Chapter 17: Piper

Chapter 18: Joanna

Chapter 19: Piper

Chapter 20: Joanna

Chapter 21: Piper

Chapter 22: Joanna

Chapter 23: Piper

Chapter 24: Joanna

Chapter 25: Piper

Chapter 26: Joanna

Chapter 27: Piper

Chapter 28: Joanna

Chapter 29: Piper

Chapter 30: Joanna

Chapter 31: Piper

Chapter 32: Joanna

Chapter 33: Piper

Chapter 34: Joanna

Chapter 35: Piper

Chapter 36: Joanna

Chapter 37: Piper

Chapter 38: Joanna

Chapter 39: Piper

Chapter 40: Joanna

Chapter 41: Piper

Chapter 42: Joanna

Chapter 43: Piper

Chapter 44: Joanna

Chapter 45: Piper

Chapter 46: Joanna

Chapter 47: Piper

Chapter 48: Joanna

Chapter 49: Piper

Chapter 50: Joanna

Chapter 51: Piper

Chapter 52: Joanna

Chapter 53: Piper

Chapter 54: Joanna

Chapter 55: Piper

Acknowledgments

Keep Reading …

About the Author

Also by Liv Constantine

About the Publisher

| 1 |
PIPER

Piper Reynard pulled into the parking lot of the Phoenix Recovery Center and parked in her reserved spot. When she’d been forced to leave San Diego ten months ago, she wasn’t sure where to go, only that she wanted to be as far away from the West Coast as possible. It had to be somewhere near the water, though, so that she could still sail on the weekends. And it needed to be a place where she could start over without standing out. After extensive research, she’d settled on Westport, Connecticut, a jewel of a town on the coast of Long Island Sound. The former home of Paul Newman and other celebrities, it had a sophisticated vibe and was just over an hour away from New York City by train. But best of all, it was the kind of place that attracted people from all over, rather than the kind of small town where everyone’s family had lived for generations, making them nosy about newcomers. She’d found the perfect house—a sprawling white clapboard on the water—and joined a yacht club, where she kept the sailboat she’d bought as soon as she came east.

The one problem she had to overcome was how to reinvent herself. She couldn’t continue with her counseling practice, as her license was in her real name, so the next best thing was a business in a similar field. She’d been incredibly lucky to find an existing one for sale and bought the Phoenix Recovery Center a few weeks after moving to Westport. All she’d had to do was have a lawyer set up an LLC for her under the name Harmony Healing Arts. It had already been a thriving business, offering meditation retreats, mindfulness, recovery programs, and nutrition and yoga classes.

She grabbed her briefcase from the passenger’s seat, slid out of her Alfa Romeo Spider, and walked toward the entrance of the building, feeling a sense of pride as she looked up at the sleek, two-story building of glass and cedar. She unlocked the front door and went directly to her office. It was still early, six thirty a.m., but Piper liked to be there well before the center opened at eight. It gave her time to get centered before she thrust herself into her busy day. She took a quick look at her calendar to check the time of her appointment with Leo Drakos. He’d called her out of the blue last week and asked to discuss a client he was defending in a murder case. He spoke to her about Fred Grainger, who had been in one of the center’s support groups for the last four months and was about to go to trial for the murder of his actress girlfriend. She’d googled Drakos and seen he was a well-known defense lawyer, prominent or perhaps even famous in his field. Based on her knowledge of Fred, she didn’t think he was guilty, and she was glad Drakos had taken his case.

She opened her laptop to check the social media accounts for Phoenix. Instagram first. Another three hundred followers. Excellent. It must have been the podcast episode she’d uploaded yesterday on filling your well before trying to fill someone else’s. Twitter next. Thirty-five retweets of her blog post on selfishness being the new selflessness. And on Facebook, the center had hit ten thousand likes. A very good morning indeed.

She dimmed her office lights and pressed Play on her iPad. As the soothing sounds of Debussy filled the room, she closed her eyes and leaned back in the chair. Maybe things were really going to be different here. They had to be. She couldn’t keep starting over and finding new places to hide.

| 2 |
JOANNA

Leo’s finally coming out of his depression. After three long months of his barely communicating with me, lost inside his head, he suddenly seemed to perk up. He was starting on a new murder case next week, and I could see that having it to immerse himself in was a good thing, but I knew from experience that it would also be exhausting. I convinced him that a few days away at the house in Maine before the trial started would be a nice break for all of us. The bracing sea air and magnificent views were always restorative, so I’d already called ahead to Lloyd, the caretaker, to ready the house for us.

As soon as we drove up and opened the front door, fresh flowers greeted us on the entry table, and the rooms seemed to welcome us back. Stelli ran through the house ahead of us like a tornado, and when I heard a whoop of delight, I knew he’d found the surprise I’d arranged to have waiting in his bedroom. A minute later, he came barreling down the stairs holding two remote-control bumper cars and ran to his sister, Evie.

“Look what was in my room! Come on, let’s go play.”

Evie, a grown-up eight to his six, gave him a measured look, then spoke. “Let me put my things away first.”

She was such a sweet child that she didn’t ask if there was anything waiting in her room, which of course there was. I’d ordered her a pink wireless karaoke microphone and asked Lloyd to place it on her bed.

As Leo unloaded the car, I went through the house, turning lights on, unpacking our bags, and getting us settled in. Opening the door to the deck, I took a deep breath of Maine air. It was a perfect spring day, 62 degrees, according to the thermometer on the outside wall, but the sun made it feel warmer. The sea was calm and the sky a brilliant, cloudless blue. I sat in one of the white lounge chairs and breathed in the salt air, closing my eyes as the warmth of the sun spread across my body.

“Are you asleep?”

Leo’s voice startled me from a light slumber, and I sat up, turning to look at him standing at the open sliding glass door. “No, just resting,” I said. “Where are the children?”

“In their rooms, playing.”

“Why don’t you sit down and join me?”

He shook his head, his expression serious. “No. I think I’ll go inside and rest for a bit.”

I tried not to show my exasperation. “Leo. The sun and sea air will do you some good. Come sit.”

He sighed reluctantly. This is how he’d been the last few months—keeping to himself, sleeping most of the time, or staring off into space. Finally, he stepped onto the deck and took the lounge chair next to mine, but he looked straight ahead at the water, not saying a word. I put my hand on his arm.

“Leo, let’s try to make this trip a good one for Stelli and Evie. They love it here. It would be good to make some happy memories for them.”

He continued to stare at the water. “I’ll try, Joanna. I know I’ve not been the easiest person to be around these last months.” He turned to look at me and attempted a weak smile. “You’ve been wonderful, you really have, and I’m grateful. I don’t know what I would have done without you.”

Even though we’d been together for many years, it was still a thrill to hear those words, to know he appreciated me. There was no one I cared about more than him and the children, and I was relieved to see that he was starting to come back to me.

“I will always be here for you, Leo. No matter what,” I said.

Tears filled his eyes, and he blinked, then turned to hide them from me. Seeing him like this made me hope he was emotionally prepared for this case, which would be another high-profile one. I’d been telling him it might be good for him to get counseling, but he wasn’t interested, even when I reminded him how much it had helped me. My therapist, Celeste, advised me not to push him, so I’d backed off. But after something he’d said in passing, a possible solution occurred to me. I just had to figure out a way to frame it so that it sounded like a good idea to him, too.

| 3 |
PIPER

After teaching her nine o’clock yoga class, Piper went back to her office to work on her new blog post. The alarm on her phone sounded, reminding her of her next appointment, and she barely had time to throw a shirt over her sports bra and yoga pants before there was a tap on her office door.

“Hello, come in,” she said, rising from her chair.

As Leo Drakos walked in, she was immediately struck by his dark good looks and brooding eyes, and when he put his hand out to shake hers, she took in his well-groomed nails and firm grip. Then her eyes traveled to his perfectly tailored gray suit and starched white shirt, silver cuff links, and paisley Zegna necktie—the same brand Matthew had always worn. In the pictures she’d seen of Leo Drakos online, she had thought he was nice-looking enough, but his charisma came across in person in a whole different way.

“Thank you for making time for me so quickly, Ms. Reynard.” His voice was deep and pleasant, and she felt herself not wanting to let go of his hand.

“Of course. I’m glad to help in any way I can. But please, call me Piper. Won’t you have a seat?” She indicated a deep-cushioned armchair, and Leo waited for Piper to sit before settling himself into it.

“As I told you on the phone, my client, Fred Grainger, has authorized me to speak with you about the time he’s spent here, in addition to his work in AA.”

Piper nodded. “Yes, when he told me, I had him sign a release.”

“He worked through some addiction issues here with you, is that right?”

“Yes,” she said. “He was very committed to the process. Worked very hard.”

“Was he receiving any counseling here in addition to the recovery work?”

Piper shook her head. “We don’t offer one-on-one therapy sessions here, but work on a group approach.” She could have filled him in more but didn’t want to sound like too much of an expert. Her new identity here in Westport didn’t include a master’s in clinical psychology from Pepperdine and her work at a private practice in San Diego.

“He’s been coming here for six months, right?”

“Regularly—twice a week, in addition to his AA meetings. I have the records here.” She indicated the file folder in her lap. “He needed a place that was safe, where people listened without judgment or condemnation.” She paused and smiled at Leo. “You know, it’s what everyone needs, really—a place where they can spill their insides and let it all out. It’s like a cleansing of the soul. All of us have wounds we bury deep inside, and they affect us without our even realizing it.”

He stared at her for a moment. “Do you …” He put a hand up and shook his head. “Back to Fred. Did he do well here?”

She sat up straighter, giving him a professional nod. “Fred made great progress and stayed clean and sober. I believe he truly wants to turn his life around.”

“I agree,” Leo said with a nod. “We’re going to need character witnesses. Would you be willing to testify?”

Piper shifted in her chair, thinking of all the possible ramifications of taking the stand in a high-profile murder case. “Well … it might be better if some of my staff did, specifically Morgan Timmons. He worked more closely with Fred. I oversaw his progress, but Morgan had more direct interaction.”

“Okay, then. Could I speak with Mr. Timmons today?”

“Of course. He’ll be in this afternoon. I’ll have him call you as soon as he gets here. In the meantime, if you’d like, I can take you on a tour of the facility so you can see what services Fred participated in.” She stood, annoyed with herself for her gym clothes and messy ponytail. If she’d known how attractive Leo Drakos was, she’d have taken more care with her appearance today.

He glanced at his watch. “I’m pressed for time. I’ll take a rain check.”

Though unsettled by how disappointed she was to see him leave, she nodded. “I understand, I’ll walk you out.”

When they reached the door, he stopped and handed her a business card. “If you think of anything else that would help, you have both my cell and office number here. And again, thanks for passing it along to Mr. Timmons.”

After Piper returned to her office, she leaned back in her chair and took several deep breaths. She was sorry that she couldn’t testify—it would certainly have given her an excuse to get to know him better. She was a little surprised by how strongly attracted to him she was, but she couldn’t deny it felt good. There was something strong and powerful about the way he carried himself and how he spoke. She’d read that he could mesmerize a jury, and she could see why. She pictured him now, as he’d sat across from her, handsome and debonair. Piper had taken in everything about him—especially the gold ring on his left hand. That was the one detail that troubled her.

| 4 |
JOANNA

Sometimes life has a way of taking care of things for you. It was serendipitous that Leo’s case had led him to the Phoenix Recovery Center right here in Westport. With this trial imminent, Leo needed to be able to focus and not dwell on things he couldn’t change. He’d always been the one to light up a room, his infectious laugh and passionate way of speaking drawing everyone in, but the spark in his eyes had dulled, and he barely looked at any of us when he got home at the end of the day. Even Stelli’s antics failed to perk him up lately.

Keeping one eye on the kids, who were bouncing on their trampoline, I checked the time on my phone. Almost six. Leo would be home from the office any minute now.

“Time to get off. Daddy will be home soon.”

Stelli kept jumping, ignoring me, but Evie scooted off and came toward me.

“Can we have ice cream for dessert tonight?” she asked.

I smiled at her. “Sure.”

Stelli yelled and continued bouncing. “Can I do one more flip? Please.”

I pushed away my frustration at Stelli’s pushing the boundaries, reminding myself that boys needed to work off their energy. “Okay, one more. Should we rate you?”

He bounced up and down, his face scrunched up in concentration. He bounced higher, put his hands up in the air, and executed a perfect somersault. When he landed, I applauded, and Evie joined in.

“Fantastic! An eleven,” I pronounced.

He jumped off and ran to me. “It only goes up to ten, silly.”

“Well, it was so super-duper that a ten wasn’t enough.”

I let them watch a show while I finished making dinner. There was a roast in the oven, and I opened the door to check it. Leo was a meat-and-potatoes man, and though I’d tried to get him to eat a little more adventurously, in the end it was easier to cater to his tastes.

I’d just uncorked a bottle of Stags’ Leap cabernet when I heard the door chime.

“Daddy’s home!” Stelli jumped up from the sofa and went to greet him. I always loved to see their special bond. No one could make Stelli’s face light up the way his father could. Of course, lately, it’d been a little more difficult, but I knew Leo was doing his best.

“Hi, buddy,” he said to Stelli before looking to me and Evie. “Good evening, ladies,” he called, sounding a little like his old self. Evie ran up and hugged him. I was encouraged by the enthusiasm in his voice, but when he smiled at me, it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Smells good in here.”

I poured a glass of wine and handed it to him. “Your favorite.”

“Thanks.” He took a sip. “Ah, nice.”

I put out a small platter of olives and cheese. “To tide you over until dinner.” I knew he would have skipped lunch—he always did when he was close to the start of a trial—but I also knew that he needed time to unwind when he got home. The kids went back to their show, and Leo took a long swallow.

I decided to plunge in. “I noticed that there’s a meditation workshop at that recovery center this Saturday. Maybe it would help with the Grainger case if you spent a little time there to better understand what they do and how it helped him.”

He looked at me, his brow wrinkling. “What do you mean?”

“It’s nothing weird. Just a day to try to focus on what’s good in your life. You know, taking a look at the positive.”

He took another long swallow of wine and set the glass down. “You know I don’t go in for that kind of New Age thing. And weren’t we planning to take the kids to the beach?”

I shrugged. It was more important to me that he get better, and I could handle them on my own. “It’s only one day. I’ll take them to the beach, and we can all go back on Sunday.”

“I don’t know. Sounds like a waste of time. I already spoke with Fred’s counselor and got everything I needed from him. No need for me to waste more time going back there.”

“Maybe it would be a waste. But maybe not. The website says their techniques can help you to clear your mind and improve your focus and concentration. You’ve got a big case coming up. Every little thing helps.”

He was quiet, seeming to consider this. “You really think this kind of stuff works?”

“I think it can work. I know you’ve been feeling better, but can you honestly say you’re at a hundred percent? The worst that can happen is you waste your day, but it could be the thing that gets you all the way over the hump.”

He nodded. “I guess it can’t hurt.”

I was relieved that he was finally going to take a step toward health. Little did I know that it would be his first step out of my life and right into hers.

| 5 |
PIPER

Piper was surprised and pleased to see Leo’s name on the roster for the meditation workshop—she hadn’t pegged him as someone who’d take the time for such things. She allowed herself a moment to wonder if he’d signed up because he felt the same attraction to her as she did to him, but then dismissed the thought. He’d been nothing but professional when he’d come to the center. Regardless, though she hadn’t even been planning to attend the workshop, she quickly cleared her schedule.

She made sure to dress more attractively this time, in navy knit pants that showed off her trim figure and a champagne-colored silk shirt revealing just the right amount of cleavage. She spritzed on some Wild Bluebell perfume and checked her makeup before leaving her office and heading to Studio One, where the workshop was being held.

She entered the studio to find fifteen chairs set up in a semicircle, but no Leo, and she felt a pinch of disappointment. She hoped he hadn’t decided to skip it. Taking one of the empty chairs, she put a program down on the seat next to her, saving it in the hopes he would show up. She sat and took in the room, which she had redecorated with a mural of clouds on the ceilings and soothing sky-blue walls. The next few minutes crawled by as her eyes darted to the door every time it opened and a few more attendees straggled in. And then, finally, he entered, casually dressed in khakis and a white button-down shirt. He was even more attractive than she remembered.

She smiled at him and motioned for him to sit next to her, and he returned her smile and strode over, settling into the chair. For a moment his leg brushed hers, and she felt the heat of desire go through her, but she reluctantly turned her attention to the facilitator when he began to speak.

“Welcome, everyone. I’m Zodiac, your guide for today.” He put his hands together in a prayerful pose.

Leo looked at Piper, cocking a sardonic eyebrow. She shot him a look that said Behave.

As Zodiac explained a breathing technique, then prompted everyone to close their eyes and clear their minds, all Piper could think about was the man sitting next to her and how much she wanted to spend more time with him.

“Okay, everyone,” Zodiac said. “Mindfulness is more than just a—”

The ringing of a cell phone interrupted him, and he scanned the attendees to see who the culprit was.

Leo made a face, pulled the phone from his pocket, and silenced it. “Sorry.”

Zodiac nodded and cleared his throat. “As I said before … silence or, better yet, turn off your cell phones. They are a major obstacle to living in the now.” He stood and walked over to a woman across from Piper.

“You are not your thoughts,” he yelled. The woman jumped.

“Yes, that’s startling. But true. Your essence has nothing to do with what you’re thinking.” He tapped a finger to his temple. “Clear away the clutter. One way to do that is meditation. We’ll focus on the basics of that soon. But for now … sit and be in this moment. Look around you. How does it feel to just be?”

Leo shifted in his seat, and Piper, feeling his restlessness, had to resist looking at him. She did her best to concentrate on Zodiac and force her thoughts away from Leo.

An hour later, as they filed out of the studio for a ten-minute break, she turned to him. “So, what do you think?” she asked.

As they moved to a corner of the hallway, he gave her a measured look. “No offense, but it sounds like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to me.”

She put a hand on his arm. “It’s hard for everyone at first. It takes practice. But meditation can be very soothing.”

He held up a finger and pulled his phone from his pocket. “Do I get points for putting it on vibrate?” he joked before answering. Piper walked away to say hello to a few of the other attendees and give Leo some privacy. By the time the break was almost over, he was still on his phone.

He looked up as the sound of wind chimes came through the speakers on the wall, and ended the call. Piper walked back to him.

“Sorry. Work,” he said sheepishly.

“No worries. The next session is only thirty minutes,” Piper told him. “You game?”

“Why not?” He was quiet as they followed the group back into the studio. Piper found she couldn’t concentrate on the mantras the group was repeating, and the half hour passed slowly again. When the session was over, Leo rose from his chair.

“Sorry, Piper. All this is doing is making me think of everything I need to get done.”

She bit her lip. “You’re leaving?”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, this just isn’t for me.”

“I understand. Would you like to join me for some lunch here before you go? After all, you’ve already paid for it.”

He tilted his head. “Tell you what, tofu and green drinks are not really my thing. Why don’t you let me buy you lunch at the Spotted Horse? You do eat regular food, right?”

She laughed. “That I do. I’d love to. Let me just tell Zodiac that I’m leaving.”

He raised his eyebrows. “That’s a made-up name, right?”

She shrugged. “Probably. Good one for a meditation instructor, don’t you think? Meet you in the parking lot.”

Piper stopped by her office for her purse and to freshen up, and when she exited the building, he was waiting for her by his Mercedes. When she approached, he walked to the passenger’s side and opened the door for her. She slid into the supple leather seat and felt butterflies taking flight in her stomach again. She hadn’t been this attracted to someone since Matthew. Her eyes were drawn to his hands on the steering wheel, his long and elegant fingers, and she found herself imagining what they would feel like on her body. Stop it, she scolded herself.

They sat at an outside table, under the orange awnings. Piper looked at the menu, but her stomach was in such a flutter she wasn’t sure she could eat anything. “I think I’ll just have one of the small plates,” she said.

“Really? I’m starving. All that meditating made me work up an appetite.” They both laughed.

“I’m sorry you didn’t like the class,” she said after they’d ordered. “Have you ever done meditation on your own?”

“No. I have to say I don’t see the point of it.”

She nodded. “I think many people feel that way until they try it. I’m sorry this wasn’t a good experience for you today. What were you hoping for?”

He looked away for a moment and then turned his eyes back to her. “I guess I was hoping for some relief.” He paused. “I’ve gone through a rough patch the last few months. But I’m feeling hopeful again.”

“I’m glad. Fred is lucky to have you as his attorney.”

“I’m going to do everything in my power to live up to his faith in me.”

She wanted to offer him a word of encouragement but didn’t want to seem condescending. Instead, she said, “I’m a great listener. If you ever need someone to talk to, I’m just a phone call away.”

Leo smiled at her. “Thank you.”

The waiter brought their lunches, the roasted eggplant for Piper and a Reuben for Leo.

“I feel bad that you wasted your money on the workshop lunch. You must let me pay for this to make up for it,” Piper said.

“Absolutely not,” Leo said. “I invited you.”

Piper took a taste of eggplant and watched Leo take a big bite of his sandwich. “How is it?”

He nodded his head. “Delicious.”

She leaned back in her chair. “I know you practice law, and you don’t like meditation,” she said, “but what are some things you do like? What’s your favorite book?”

“That’s easy. The Count of Monte Cristo. Yours?”

“The Alchemist,” she said without hesitation. “Your favorite song?”

“Hmm, that’s a little tougher. Let’s see. Hard to pick one, but if I have to, I guess it would be ‘Black’ by Pearl Jam.”

“Oh, that’s a great one. Mine would be ‘Moon River,’” Piper said. He looked a little taken aback, and she laughed. “What can I say? I was born in the wrong decade.”

“A classic,” Leo said. “Movie?”

“I’m a big fan of old movies. I’ve probably seen every black-and-white film there is, and love them all, but if I had to pick a favorite, it’d be Brief Encounter.”

Leo frowned. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen that.”

“It’s about two married strangers who meet in a train station and fall in love. Very passionate and very sad. And the music! I still get goose bumps every time I hear Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto Number Two.”

He was staring at her with those dark eyes, and she shifted in her chair. “You?”

“Me?” he said.

“Your movie.”

“The Godfather, without question.”

They sat that way, chatting, for over an hour, long after they’d finished eating, and she’d perked up even further when Leo mentioned that he’d become involved with the Save the Sound Foundation in Westport. The organization was now lobbying for a bill that would prevent people from using pesticides on their lawns if they lived within a thousand feet of any waterway.

“It’s infuriating when I’m walking in the beach neighborhoods and I see those little yellow signs on lawns. Don’t they realize that poison runs right into the water? The same water my children swim in.” He shook his head.

“I completely agree. Pesticides are one of the reasons I buy only organic produce. And I never use that poison on my lawn, especially since I’m near the water.”

“A local business owner and a waterfront property holder? We could use another voice like yours at our meetings.”

“When’s the next one?”

“It’s in two weeks. Thursday at seven at the Town Hall.”

She smiled at him. “I’ll be there.” She was thrilled to have another excuse to see him, not that these meetings did any good. It was usually just a bunch of bureaucratic blowhards who loved the sound of their own voices. But she would put up with that if it was a chance to spend more time with Leo. The more she learned about him, the more she saw that he was definitely her type. And she intended to make sure she was his.

| 6 |
JOANNA

The kids and I had been at Compo Beach since midmorning. Though it was still a week before Memorial Day, the sun was shining brightly, and we had camped out near the water’s edge so I could keep a close eye on the children as they played in the water. Even though there were barely any waves in the Sound, they were drifting on their boogie boards back and forth in the shallows, laughing and splashing each other.

“Can we go to Joey’s and get burgers and more fries?” Stelli asked. We’d feasted on the famous French fries and hot dogs at the restaurant next to the pavilion a few hours ago, but they were getting hungry again as three o’clock approached.

“Maybe just some fries. We don’t want to spoil your dinner,” I told him, then held out my hand. “Come on, Evie, we’re going to get a snack.”

I gave Stelli a quarter for the gumball machine and he stood, transfixed as always, as a brightly colored orb journeyed down the spiraled tunnels and landed in his hand.

I turned to Evie. “Do you want one, too, sweetie?”

She shook her head. “No, they’re gross. They’ve been sitting in that thing for who knows how long. Probably since last summer.”

I laughed. “I certainly hope not.”

We got fries for Stelli and an ice-cream cone for Evie, and then found an open picnic table under the pavilion. I shooed a seagull away as we sat. The kids dug in, and I tried hard not to snatch a fry from Stelli’s basket. No matter what I did, I couldn’t seem to get rid of the extra twenty pounds that had been plaguing me for as long as I could remember.

Evie pointed. “Look, there’s Daddy!”

“Where?”

“Right there!” She stood and ran to him. His face broke into a smile when he saw her. Holding hands, they walked over to us.

“What are you doing here? I thought the retreat didn’t end until early evening.” I was happy to have him here, but I had been hoping the workshop would have been useful to him.

He took a seat across from me at the picnic table and shook his head. “If I had to endure another minute of that baloney, I would have gone crazy. I appreciate the thought, but that scene is definitely not my cup of tea.”

But the funny thing was, he looked happier. Maybe he hadn’t realized that it had been a little helpful. I tried to press him gently. “You were there half the day; did you get anything from it?”

“I had a nice chat with Piper, the owner, who, unlike Zodiac, the leader—how’s that for a crazy name?—seems pretty grounded. One thing that did resonate was a quote from Rilke that she wrote down for me,” he said, pulling a card from his pocket. “‘Live the question now. Perhaps you will then gradually, without noticing it, live along some distant day into the answer.’”

I stared at him. I almost said, And by then you’ll have forgotten the question, but I could tell he was serious. Maybe you had to have heard it in some kind of context. And if inspirational quotes gave him a foothold on the ladder to health, I sure wasn’t going to question them. “That’s great,” I said, giving him a big smile. “I’m glad you got something good out of it. So, are you hungry?”

He shook his head. “No. I grabbed lunch after I skipped out.” He turned to the children. “Are you little stinkers having fun?”

“Yes!” they answered in unison.

“Are you going to swim with us, Daddy?” Stelli asked.

“You bet, buddy. I’ll go change now.”

The kids finished their snacks and we went back to the beach, where Leo and Stelli splashed around while Evie and I stayed in our beach chairs with our books.

It was good to see Leo laughing and actually enjoying himself. After a while, he swam back to shore and motioned to Evie. “Your brother wants you to go in the water.”

Evie looked at her father over her book. “Okay.”

“Thank you, Evie. You do such a good job of looking after your little brother,” I told her.

Leo ran a hand through his wet hair as he picked up a towel. Beads of water glistened on his toned body, and I had the urge to reach out and touch him. I knew he wasn’t ready for intimacy, though—I’m familiar enough with depression to know it kills sexual appetite along with everything else. I did feel some hope today—his cheery mood was a small glimmer of light breaking through the clouds.

He took the beach chair next to mine, and I handed him a Coke from the cooler. He grabbed the can and took a long swallow. “Thanks, Jo.” Looking straight ahead and keeping an eye on the children, he continued. “I’m going to have to go into the office tomorrow. I hate to work on a Sunday, but you know there’s never enough time to prepare for a trial, and—”

“You don’t have to apologize. I’ve got everything covered. The kids and I will be fine.”

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. How are you feeling about the case at this point?”

He sighed. “Well, the deposition from the psychologist at the Phoenix Recovery Center will help to show Fred’s commitment to sobriety. I’m rallying the troops tomorrow to give out marching orders. There’s just so much still to do.”

“You always get it done.”

He nodded. “I suppose so.” He leaned farther forward in the beach chair, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped together. Without looking at me, he said, “I’m thinking maybe we should cancel the Memorial Day party.”

“What? No, you can’t,” I objected. It was a tradition he’d started years ago, before we’d even met. The party would be a time for him to reconnect with friends and colleagues. Calling it off felt like a step backward in his recovery.

“I’m not in much of a festive mood, and I’ve got so much on my plate with this case.”

“But everyone loves the party,” I said gently. “And besides, you’ll enjoy it once it’s here. You shouldn’t make a rash decision that you’ll regret later.”

He was quiet. After a moment he sat back, and when he looked at me, I saw resignation in his eyes. “Maybe you’re right. But you’ve got a lot on your plate. Especially since Rebecca’s not here.” The children’s nanny had left to care for her father in Michigan after he had had a fall and wouldn’t be returning for another couple of weeks.

“Don’t worry. I’ve got this,” I assured him. He smiled and nodded.

I knew he would be glad once the day came. He’d be surrounded by people who cared about him—clients, colleagues, and friends, all of whom looked forward to it and most of whom had already RSVP’d. I’d given the caterer the final count this morning. It was the same menu every year—barbecued beef and all the fixings. And yesterday I’d placed an order with the florist for the table centerpieces. This year, they would be red dahlias, white lilies, and blue irises in round white vases. There were still a few tasks left to do—I still needed to get in touch with the face painter and magician the kids and their friends had loved last year—but I knew I’d be able to pull it all off.

I looked over at Leo, who had a faint smile on his face as he watched Evie and Stelli splashing around. We were going to come out of this on the other side. I just knew it.

| 7 |
PIPER

Piper lay in bed, eyes open, wide awake. She turned to look at the clock on the bedside table—two a.m. This had been happening to her every night recently—actually, ever since she’d met Leo.

Moving to Westport had been the right decision. At first, she’d been skittish, looking over her shoulder, afraid she’d be found. But after a few months, she’d fallen into a comfortable routine of working at Phoenix all day, then coming home to a quiet house to cook, read, and center herself until the next day. She had promised herself that she would take a year to be alone; that, no matter what, no matter how perfect a man seemed, this time she’d resist.

As soon as she’d met Leo, she’d known it was a promise she wouldn’t keep. But the thought of getting involved with a new man brought up memories of the last one, and thinking of Matthew brought back her nightmares. Dark dreams in which Matthew’s ex-wife chased her, yelling Murderer, murderer!

Throwing back the covers, Piper rose from the bed. There was no way she could go back to sleep now. She made herself some chamomile tea and grabbed her laptop from the counter, though she knew that screen time in the middle of the night was bad for her circadian rhythms. Sinking into the plush sofa cushions, she opened the computer and waited, fingers poised on the keys, for inspiration to strike. She needed to channel her energy into something positive, like a new blog post. Maybe she’d write about starting over.

She’d tried to do just that when she left California after all that blame and finger-pointing. Her mental images of that time still ate at her insides, and she felt a flash of anger burn through her as she looked at the diamond-and-sapphire ring on her right ring finger and remembered how Ava, Matthew’s first wife, had actually accused her of stealing it. But Matthew had given her his mother’s ring when he proposed, with the understanding that it would one day go to his daughter, Mia, on her own wedding day. But of course, that wasn’t going to happen now.

She shook her head as if to sweep the memories away. She didn’t want to let Ava steal one more minute of her peace. Suddenly, she had a different idea for the blog post and found her fingers flying across the keyboard.

HOW TO DEAL WITH THE HATERS

You know who they are—those people who seem intent on nothing but stealing the happiness from others. They’re the ones who see a negative motive in everything you do. Those folks who blame you for everything from the weather to the sinking of the Titanic. They’re haters. They have nothing good to say to you or about you. These are toxic people who need to be cut from your life without a backward glance. Maybe it’s your mother or your father. A sister or a brother. It doesn’t matter. If they’re not having a positive influence on your life, they don’t belong in it. Find a new sister, a new brother. Blood is not destiny. True connection arises out of mutual respect and benefit. Take a good look around you, identify them, and eliminate these bloodsucking parasites now. Before they ruin your life.

She stopped, her breath coming in short gasps. She couldn’t post this. The center’s blog—really, its whole image—was all about positivity. But it had made her feel better to put the words on the page. She highlighted the whole paragraph and hit Delete. Thinking of her audience, she began a new post.

MOVING ON AFTER LOSS

Life isn’t fair—how many times have you said that to yourself and to others? That simple statement, though true, doesn’t begin to plumb the depths of sadness and despair you often experience when something truly terrible happens. After a tragedy, the days are dark, filled with whys and what-ifs: What if you hadn’t argued? What if you had pulled up to that intersection five minutes earlier? Why do you feel so guilty? Why my husband? Why now?

There are the days when you feel fragile, as if you were made of glass and could shatter at any moment. And finally, when you think you will never smile with pure happiness again, acceptance comes. You will recognize its arrival by the awakening of emotions that you’ve held at bay for so long. Suddenly, you will find yourself hoping to meet someone with whom to share the rest of your life. And if you’re lucky enough to find that person, I say to you, pursue it with all your might. Don’t be afraid. Don’t let obstacles deter you. If it’s worth having, it’s worth fighting for. Life is short. Don’t let the past keep you from reaching out to grab the future. Believe that it is possible to love with your whole heart again, and to be loved in return. No matter the cost. Peace and Blessings.

That was better. Piper shut down the computer, put her hands behind her neck, and stretched. She’d post it tomorrow. All the blog posts were signed simply with “Phoenix” rather than her name. Let readers make of it what they would.

It was already four o’clock, only an hour before her alarm was set to go off. Even if she managed to fall asleep for the next hour, she knew she’d get up feeling worse. The meeting for Save the Sound wasn’t for two more weeks, and she hated that she had to wait that long to see Leo again. They’d exchanged mobile numbers, so maybe she’d send him a flirty little text in the meantime. She pulled her phone out and swiped to his contact. Thinking a moment, her fingers began to type: Guess what I just picked up at the bookstore. The Count of Monte Cristo. Maybe we can have a little book club meeting when I’m finished. xo. She hit Send and then allowed herself a moment to relive their lunch together, feeling warm inside. Suddenly, images of Matthew and his daughter flashed through her head again.

“Go away!” she shouted.

Matthew was gone, and nothing would bring him back. She stood up straighter and took a deep breath. It was time to put old ghosts to rest.

| 8 |
JOANNA

I had only a few hours to finalize all the details before the guests began to arrive for the party. Pouring a cup of coffee, I sat at the kitchen table and went over the list one more time. I decided to see if perhaps my mother would change her mind and come. At first, she had promised to be there, but then she’d called me two days ago to say she was under the weather. When I took her to the doctor yesterday, he could find nothing wrong, but she still insisted that she was too tired even to attempt a showing. She’d battled chronic fatigue syndrome and depression for as long as I could remember, vacillating between bouts of energy and months when she could barely get out of bed, so I’d learned to become self-sufficient at an early age. I brought her number up on my phone. It rang seven times, and, just as I was about to hang up, she answered.

“Hello?” Her voice was thready.

“Hi, Mom. Just calling to see how you’re feeling.”

“A little better, hon. Just tired. Ready for the big day?”

“Pretty much. Are you sure you don’t want to come for a little bit?” I asked, even though I knew crowds made her anxious and she’d feel out of place. She rarely ventured from her house, and I wished there were a way I could help her to expand her world.

“No, I’m going to take a pass. I’ll finish the jigsaw puzzle you got me. I love this kitten one. It’s much better than the one you brought over last month with all those skyscrapers.”

Why were her compliments always backhanded? I bit back the urge to snap at her; this was one of the things Celeste and I were working on in therapy. “I’m glad you like it, Mom. I’m just sorry you’re not up to coming.”

“Besides, it’s no fun going unescorted. Just another casualty of being left by your husband,” she continued, a whine in her voice.

My parents had gotten divorced a lifetime ago, when I was only nineteen, but my mother still played the martyr all these years later.

I suppressed a sigh and forced a cheerful note into my voice. “Okay, then. Get some rest. Feel better.” I hung up.

The kids were bursting with excitement, counting down the hours until the fun began. Practically every area of the backyard had been designated for one kind of game or another. There was a face-painting station, a bouncy house, a row of carnival games with stuffed animal prizes, and a snack bar for the kids with all sorts of delicious treats, my favorite being the caramel apples. There was even a photo booth. When they got tired of all of that, the saltwater pool had been filled with floats of all shapes and sizes, and we’d hired two lifeguards to be on duty for the party. Many of the adults would enjoy one of the two hot tubs and the frozen drink bars set up next to them, with bartenders at the ready. Aside from the standard Memorial Day fare of hot dogs and hamburgers, the spread would include pit beef barbecue, corn on the cob, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, and watermelon. No one would leave hungry.

I poured myself another cup of coffee and started to review the list one last time, then realized that Stelli and Evie already had their bathing suits on.

“Guys, get over here—let’s get some sunscreen on you before we forget.”

Evie came right away, but Stelli ran in the other direction. I sighed. I didn’t have time for this today, but I knew that Stelli wouldn’t respond to my being cross, so I got Evie covered in lotion, then called to her in a stage whisper. “I wonder where Stelli has gone. Did he disappear? I can’t see him.”

Evie giggled and pointed to where Stelli was partially visible behind a chair.

“I think he must be using his powers of invisibility, Evie. I need to find him and put this magic lotion on him before he disappears forever.”

“If you don’t do it soon, we’ll never see him again,” Evie said, playing along.

“That would be so sad. Then I couldn’t see him to give him the special Spider-Man comic book I just got him.”

“Here I am!” Stelli jumped out from behind the chair.

I pretended to look around. “Where? I can’t see you.”

He ran to me and threw his arms around my legs. “Here. Put the lotion on so you can see me.”

As I rubbed it on, Evie and I pretended to watch him appear one area at a time. By the time I finished, we were all laughing.

“What’s so funny?” Leo said as he came into the kitchen.

Stelli ran up to him. “We were putting my magic lotion on.” Leo smiled, looking over at me.

“Good thing. I’d hate for you to disappear.”

By four o’clock, there were over a hundred guests roaming the property, and I began to make the rounds, greeting everyone and making sure all was going well. I was standing at the bar by the pool, the summer heat making me wilt, and wishing I’d chosen something cooler than linen capris and the long-sleeved cotton shirt I’d picked only because it hid my jiggling upper arms. It was while I was chatting with Annette Morris, one of Leo’s partners’ assistants, that I noticed a stunning blonde in shorts and a tank top walk over to Leo. She didn’t work at the firm, and she wasn’t a neighbor, and something about the way they were talking to each other sent alarm signals through me.

“Who’s that?” Annette asked.

“I’ve never seen her before. Maybe she’s a guest of someone else from the firm.” I tried to sound nonchalant. “Well, have fun. I’m going to mingle a bit.”

As I made my way over to Leo and the mystery woman, I was stopped several times by people thanking me and telling me what a wonderful party it was, but Leo and the blonde were still talking when I finally reached them. It took a minute before they seemed to register my presence, and he turned and looked at me.

“Joanna, this is Piper Reynard from the recovery center, the one who tried valiantly to persuade me not to give up on meditation.” They both laughed.

“To no avail,” Piper said, giving Leo a conspiratorial look, suddenly making me feel as though I’d intruded on a private joke.

Leo went on. “She’s new in town, so I thought this would be a good way for her to meet some folks.”

I was surprised and a little stung that he hadn’t mentioned inviting her to me. She was gorgeous, with chiseled cheekbones, luminous blue eyes, and a fine straight nose. She had a face to rival any actress’s. Why had I insisted he go to that damn class? I smiled at her, hoping she couldn’t sense how dumpy I felt next to her, and reached out a hand. “Welcome. So nice to meet you. I’ve been meaning to check out the Phoenix Recovery Center.”

“You should come by. I’d love to offer you a complimentary class.”

“Thanks. That sounds great,” I said, trying to sound sincere, but I wasn’t a fan of yoga. And her ease around Leo—not to mention her striking looks—was making me uncomfortable. “How long have you been in Westport?”

“I moved here in January, but I’ve been so busy with the business, I haven’t had time to make many friends.”

“Oh, where did you move here from?”

She hesitated for a second. “The West Coast. But I’ve moved around a lot. It’s been hard for me to put down roots. It’s so beautiful here that I’m hoping I finally can. Have you always lived in the area?”

“Yes, I was born in Connecticut. Pretty unadventurous, huh?” I said.

“Adventure can take many forms. You can take a journey without traveling a mile.”

“That is so true,” Leo said, looking at her as though she’d just solved the riddle of the Sphinx. He was normally so pragmatic.

I forced a smile again. “Well, nice to meet you. There’s plenty of food and drink, so I hope you’ll dig in,” I said, even though it looked like she didn’t eat at all. She had to be a size two or zero in those little tan shorts, her long legs shapely, without an ounce of cellulite, and arms as buff as they could be. I turned deliberately to Leo.

“Leo, I think Stelli wanted you to see his lion face. He just had it painted.” I looked at Piper. “Stelli loves his daddy so much—they’re like two peas in a pod.”

“Well, I’d better go check on my boy. Enjoy yourself,” Leo said as he walked away.

As he moved through the guests, Piper’s eyes never left him. I wasn’t surprised. Women had always been attracted to Leo, some even making it clear they didn’t mind that he was married. There was one thing I knew about Leo, though, and that was that he had integrity. He’d always been a loyal and faithful husband. Still … there was something about this woman that made my antennae go up.

The rest of the party went by in a blur. I was continually on the lookout for her and watching Leo, trying to see whether they spoke again, but she didn’t seem to have a hard time meeting others. Before she left, she walked up to Leo and put a hand on his arm. They talked for a moment, then he gave her a hug. By the time the last guest drove off, it was after nine. The kids were exhausted, so I put them to bed and then joined Leo in the den.

He sat in the red armchair texting, and when he saw me enter the room, he quickly put his phone away. I bit my tongue and didn’t ask who he’d been texting. Leo didn’t like to be questioned. “Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves, don’t you think?”

“I do. It was another great party. You did a good job.”

“Thank you. I hope you’re glad we went ahead with it.”

He smiled. “I am. You were right.”

I cleared my throat. “Piper seemed nice.”

“She’s very nice. Smart, too.”

I felt the heat start at my neck and spread to my face. I had to be careful. If I said anything negative about her, it would only make him come to her defense. “She came alone, so I assume she’s not married.”

“She’s a widow, actually. Her husband died last year.” He answered so quickly and with such assurance that I immediately knew that they’d talked about it.

I dropped it, but as soon as Leo went up to bed, I googled “Piper Reynard” on my laptop, but the only hit that came up was the Phoenix Recovery Center, whose main page featured loads of pictures of the space and the programs and none of her. I clicked on the About Us tab on her website, then her name.

Piper Reynard specializes in grief and recovery work. She is the owner of Phoenix Recovery Center, an oasis for all who seek to find mental clarity, spiritual awareness, and emotional healing.

Not much of a bio, and there was no photo of her on that page, which seemed odd. I put her name back into the Google search bar and scanned all the entries. As I scrolled down, I did a double take: Reynard the Trickster. I pulled up a reference page that gave me the background on a medieval character named Reynard the Fox:

Though Reynard is sly, amoral, cowardly, and self-seeking, he is still a sympathetic hero, whose cunning is a necessity for survival.

I sat still, staring at the description. Was Reynard even her real name? Maybe the reason I couldn’t find anything from her past is that she’d changed her name. And if she had, had she deliberately chosen “Reynard” because of its disquieting meaning?

But that was crazy. Certainly, it was just a coincidence. I’d just never met a woman so beautiful who didn’t have at least a flattering headshot somewhere online these days, especially if she had her own business. Had she found a way to erase herself online? And if so, why? What was she hiding?

| 9 |
PIPER

Piper rushed home after her five o’clock yoga class, grabbed a quick snack of yogurt with fresh blueberries, and went upstairs to shower. She pulled on jeans, slipped into a pair of black sandals, and moved to the full-length mirror. She didn’t like the way the jeans looked with the shoes, so she kicked them off, put on her white canvas boat shoes, and checked herself out again. Perfect. She’d been surprised and pleased when Leo had responded to her text with an invitation to his Memorial Day party last week. But to her disappointment, he had been busy with his duties as host most of the time. Then when he’d finally turned his attention to her, Joanna had cut their conversation short.

It was a short drive to the Town Hall, an imposing yellow building with tall white columns, and once inside, Piper was surprised to see how crowded it was—not one empty seat in the first ten rows. She scanned the room but saw no sign of Leo. Her stomach sank, and for a moment, she thought of leaving. Suddenly, she felt someone take the seat next to hers. His lips parted in a wide smile as he met her eyes.

“You made it,” he whispered.

She nodded. “I’ve been looking forward to it.”

Before they could talk any further, a man walked to the podium, introduced himself, and reviewed the agenda for the meeting. That was followed by a series of boring monologues, mostly the reading of minutes from meetings with state officials, which Piper thought would never end. When the meeting finally came to a close, Leo and Piper both rose, and she stood back as several people clustered around him. One woman was going on and on about a petition she wanted to circulate at her country club, all the while fawning over him. It didn’t look like he’d be free anytime soon, so Piper picked up her purse and slung it over her shoulder as she headed toward the exit. Before she’d taken more than five steps, though, she stopped. What was she thinking? She’d waited for this all week, and now she was going to just turn and run? No way. She walked back to where he was and put a hand on his arm.

“Just wanted to say good night,” she said to him, hoping he’d take the hint and extricate himself from the woman.

He held up a finger to Piper, turned to the country club woman, and handed her a card. “I’m afraid I have to call it a night, but please feel free to call or email me about any other concerns you have, okay?”

As they left, Leo turned back to her. “Thanks for sticking around.”

“Well,” she said, “it was an interesting meeting. Thanks for inviting me. I’m going to get going.”

Leo frowned. “How about a drink? It’s only nine thirty, and I promise I won’t keep you out too late.”

She felt her face flush with pleasure and her stomach seesaw. “Sure. And you can keep me out as late as you like.” Piper wanted to retract the words as soon as she said them, fearing she sounded too forward. But when he looked at her with those warm brown eyes and a grateful smile, she felt relieved.

He put a hand on her back as they walked to the door, and she felt a shiver go up her spine at his touch. “Why don’t we just walk over to The Pointe?”

“Sounds good.”

The night air was cool, and Piper swung her sweater over her shoulders as they walked.

“Cold?” he asked.

“A little.” She pulled the sweater more tightly around herself as Leo took his jacket off and put it on her shoulders. It felt romantic, gallant even.

“Here we are,” Leo said, as they stopped in front of the restaurant and he opened the door for her.

They sat at the bar and ordered two martinis. By the time they’d ordered their second drinks and discussed the plans for Save the Sound, Piper was feeling pretty uninhibited.

“So,” she asked, “what do you do for fun? You know, when you’re not crusading for justice or saving the planet.”

“I hike and swim with my kids, I travel, and I used to fly.”

Piper was surprised. “Fly? As in you were a pilot?”

“Yup. As in I am a pilot. I used to have a single-engine Beechcraft Bonanza that I kept at the airfield. My wife gave me such a hard time about it, though, that I ended up selling it.”

She deflated a little at the mention of his wife. But he was here, after all, with her. “You’re full of surprises.”

They stayed for another round, and Leo insisted on picking up the check. It was after eleven when he ordered an Uber for them since they’d been drinking. They could get their cars in the morning. When the car pulled up to her house, Leo asked the driver to wait, and he escorted her to the door. She unlocked it and turned to him. “I had a wonderful time tonight.”

“I did, too. Thanks again for coming. It was nice getting to know you better,” he said.

She had hoped he might kiss her good night, but he simply smiled and walked back to the car, giving her a wave before the driver pulled away from the curb. She looked forward to the night when his own car would be parked in her driveway until morning.

| 10 |
JOANNA

I had canceled my appointment with Celeste, because I had forgotten that I’d scheduled a dental checkup for Stelli and Evie at the same time, but now I really needed to talk to her. She didn’t have an opening but had promised to call me in between sessions. As I paced in the kitchen waiting to hear from her, I was in a panic.

When Leo had casually mentioned last week that he’d invited Piper to the Save the Sound meeting, I’d been concerned. It was after eleven when Leo had gotten home from it, and I was pretty sure he and Piper had gone out afterward, since these meetings never went on that late. I’d pretended to be asleep that evening because I wasn’t ready for a confrontation, but now, just a week later, I checked his calendar to see dinner reservations in Greenwich. I called the restaurant to confirm the reservation, to see if maybe it was a surprise for me and the children, but no, he’d made a reservation for two. I had a sneaking suspicion that Piper was on the menu.

“Thanks for calling,” I said after picking up on the first ring.

“Of course,” Celeste reassured me. “I’m sorry my schedule is so jammed this week. What’s going on?”

“I think Leo’s improved mood may have something to do with a woman.” I quickly told her about his Greenwich dinner tonight.

“Joanna, Leo has never given you any reason to doubt him before. You don’t know that he’s having dinner with Piper. It could be a business dinner, couldn’t it?”

“He never goes all the way to Greenwich for a business dinner. I think he wants to go somewhere he won’t be recognized. Besides, there’s something about Piper that worries me. It’s not that I think he would do anything wrong, but … I don’t know … I think she’s trouble.”

“Have you discussed any of this with Leo?”

“I tried, but he got defensive. I saw a text from her on his phone the other day while he was in the pool with the kids. Something about how she was watching The Godfather and what a good movie it was. I made the mistake of asking Leo about it when he came back in the house.”

“What did he say?”

“He got angry and asked why I was reading his texts. I tried to backpedal, telling him that his phone had been on the counter and I thought it might be an urgent work thing. But he was still irritated. He seems annoyed with me for every little thing lately.”

“Maybe you just need to give him some space. He’s finding his feet again after a really rough patch. Of course he’d lash out at you, being the person closest to him, someone he can be himself around. You might just find you have nothing to fear after all. Why don’t you try to focus on yourself and see what happens?”

She may have been right, but I knew in the pit of my stomach as soon as I’d seen “Oyster House 8:00” in his planner that I had reason to worry. Despite Celeste’s advice, I asked Leo about it later that day.

“I didn’t know you’d made a reservation at the Oyster House,” I said, hoping against hope that he’d tell me it was for the two of us.

He gave me a hard look. “Are you checking up on me?”

“Of course not,” I lied. “They called here to confirm the reservation.”

“It’s a business dinner.”

“For Fred Grainger’s case?”

“Yes. I’m meeting Piper there.”

My stomach was churning. “I thought you said you’d gotten everything you needed from Fred’s counselor. Why do you need to have dinner with Piper?”

“I just want some more background on the center.”

“Do you think that’s a good idea? It won’t look good if anyone recognizes you. You shouldn’t be seen in public with anyone associated with the witnesses you’re calling for his defense.”

His mouth was set in a hard line. “I’ve told you, Joanna, I don’t need you to monitor my every move. I need my space. I appreciate how much you’ve done to support me and everything you’ve had to take on these past few months, but I’m better now. Stop hovering and checking up on me all the time. And you don’t need to lecture me on legal protocol: I’m the lawyer.”

“I’m not trying to lecture you. I’m just trying to help.” His reminding me that I didn’t have a law degree was a cheap shot. He knew how much I regretted not finishing school. And besides, we’d always talked about work, until recently.

He shook his head. “It would be helpful if you would drop it.” I didn’t understand what he was getting so defensive about if he had nothing to hide, but Celeste had warned me that people coming out of a depressive episode can get easily irritated, as they were suddenly dealing with an influx of more emotion. I worried that I was beginning to sound like my mother—her suspicion and constant questioning. That hadn’t done her any good with my father, and it certainly wouldn’t endear me to Leo.

I put my hands up in supplication. “Consider it dropped.”

But of course, I couldn’t drop it. I hired a sitter and borrowed my mother’s car, confident he wouldn’t recognize it, then drove to the restaurant and found a spot on the street. Watching the entrance in the rearview mirror, I waited. At precisely eight, I saw two people walking toward the door and felt a knot in my stomach when Piper came into view. She was dressed in a body-hugging navy-blue dress, her shiny blond hair looking as though it had just been professionally blown out. Given my dark hair and brown eyes, Piper and I were polar opposites, I realized, and I wondered if that’s what had attracted Leo to her.

He put his hand on her back and guided her in. I felt my cheeks burn, my hands clench into fists. Breathing in and out, I forced myself to calm down. He was either lying right to my face, or he was lying to himself—if they talked about the case at all, I’d be shocked. But this all seemed so outside of his personality—at least, his old personality. I was worried that this was more the doing of Piper, this stranger with no Internet history, than his.

My next move needed to be calculated. I sat there for a long while, trying to decide what to do. Finally, I realized that I wanted to be with the children, to remind myself of everything I had at home. But first I had to return my mother’s car.

When I pulled into her driveway, I saw that the lights were still on. She was sitting at the card table working on her jigsaw puzzle while a rerun of The Golden Girls blared from the large television in the corner. Her hearing was getting worse, I realized, and made a mental note to make an appointment for her with the audiologist. She clicked the remote, and the TV went silent.

“Those girls have the right idea. Everything would be so much better if I lived in a nice house in Florida with some good friends. Look at all the fun they have. My life is the pits,” she grumbled, taking a long swallow from the glass of wine on the table next to her. I sighed. Mom wasn’t supposed to drink with her condition.

“Thanks for lending me your car,” I said as I put her keys on the table.

“You’re welcome. What’s wrong with your car? Couldn’t that big shot Leo let you use his?” She’d never thought much of Leo. She didn’t think much of any man, really, not after what my father had done. There was no way I was going to tell her about his dinner. I knew what she’d say. All men are liars. You can’t trust any of them.

“I’m low on oil,” I lied. “I had an appointment and didn’t have time to stop. I’ll swing by a gas station now.”

“Make sure you do. You don’t want your engine to burn out.”

I nodded absently. “How are you feeling today?”

She shrugged. “Not great. I think I need to go back to the doctor this week, see if he can give me something for these headaches. Can you take me if I get an appointment?” She gave me a pitiful look. “I’m sorry to be such a burden.”

I walked over to her and put my hands on her shoulders. “You’re not a burden, Mom. Of course I’ll take you. But … the doctor did tell you that alcohol can exacerbate the headaches.” I looked at the glass of wine again.

She gave me a sheepish look. “I only have it sometimes. I’m lonely, and you’re always so busy. If your father hadn’t up and left—”

“It’s okay.” I didn’t want to hear her rage against my father right now. He’d left years ago, as in over twenty of them, and I had other things on my mind. “I understand. Just let me know, and I’ll be happy to take you. I’ll stop by and check on you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, dear.” She unmuted the TV and went back to her show.

• • •

He got home before the sun rose but not much before. I was waiting for him when he walked in, and he was clearly startled to see me there, pacing in the hallway. I didn’t wait for him to speak.

“I was worried. Do you realize how late it is?” My voice was shaking. “I couldn’t sleep.”

He put a hand up, looking at me as though I’d lost my mind. “Whoa. I got a call while I was at dinner. One of the firm’s clients was arrested, and they lost his paperwork. I’ve been at the jail all night. His attorney’s in the hospital, so I had to go. It’s been a hell of a night.”

Then I noticed his disheveled appearance, the tie askew, his usually perfect, thick, black hair out of place. He did look like he’d been up with a client all night, and certainly he had been many times before. This whole thing with Piper was making me overreact. “I’m sorry. You know how I worry.” I took a deep breath. “Why don’t you try and get some sleep? I could certainly use some.”

He shook his head. “I need to get to the office early today. I’m just going to take a shower and get going.”

In spite of my restless night, the morning went off like any other. I got the kids ready for the day, made coffee, gave instructions to the maid service, and took care of all the little minutiae that comprised my life—our lives. As I did so, I told myself that I had nothing to worry about. After all, Leo had been a loyal and devoted family man for years. But was I underestimating how his depression might have changed him? He may not have been looking for anything, but I had a feeling she was.

I went to the computer and pulled up his Outlook. When I saw her name in the sender line, I clicked on it. I suppose it didn’t occur to her that I’d have access to his work in-box. The message was from a few days ago.

You’re never going to believe what happened today. I was at the dentist, in the waiting room, flipping through a People, when I came across an article about YOU! It was about the case you won two years ago, the woman accused of killing her in-laws. A whole spread. The woman sitting next to me glanced over (a bit nosily) at the picture of you and said, “Oh, my, he’s a handsome one.” I told her you were even better-looking in person.

Even when I try not to think of you … it’s impossible.

Have a wonderful day and do remember to take a break from your desk. Use the app I showed you and remember the quote from Anatole France: “If the path be beautiful, let us not ask where it leads.” Xo P

I felt like my entire body was on fire.

One thing was for sure: Piper was interested in much more than court cases and conservation, whether Leo realized it or not.

| 11 |
PIPER

Piper opened the door, and Leo stepped into the foyer, bringing in the steamy July humidity with him. He kissed her lightly on the cheek, and she tried to restrain herself from letting him see how much she wanted him already.

“You look beautiful,” he said, giving her an appreciative smile.

“Thank you,” she said, grabbing her clutch from the table and pulling the door shut behind her. They were seated as soon as they arrived at the restaurant, and Leo scanned the menu. “What looks good to you?”

“I’m thinking about the swordfish,” she answered, putting her menu down.

“Shall we order a Chardonnay then?”

She nodded, and he ordered a bottle of DuMOL. As they raised their glasses, smiling and looking into each other’s eyes, she could almost feel the heat coming from his side of the table.

“I was a little surprised to get your call,” she said. She wanted to lay her cards on the table before the evening went too far.

“You were? Why?”

She straightened up in her chair a bit and softened her voice just so as she said, “I didn’t think you were ready for a new relationship. You told me that you still loved your wife.”

He leaned back in his chair and was quiet a moment. “There will always be a place in my heart for her, but I know I have to move forward. I’ve been struggling for months, and I’m tired of being sad. I have to move forward. You’ve helped me to see that.”

She felt encouraged by his words but wanted to be sure. “I’ve never been a big believer in games, so I hope you’ll forgive my frankness. I’ve been attracted to you since the day I met you, but I didn’t think you were available. Are you really sure you are?”

He reached out and grabbed her hand, and a thrill ran through her. “I’m certain. Don’t you remember the quote you sent me about the beautiful path? If I’ve learned anything in my life, it’s that you have to reach out and grab happiness with both hands. You make me happy.” He tilted his head. “Can I be honest, too?”

She nodded.

“I knew there was something special between us from the start, too. I think, Ms. Piper Reynard, that you are my destiny.”

She took a sip of her wine, trying to temper her elation. Her past was littered with starts and stops. Things had too often gone badly, but this time would be different. This time, she would make sure that nothing got in her way.

“I like the sound of that.” She squeezed his hand. “If I’m your destiny, I want to know all about you. You’ve told me a little about your family, but what was young Leo Drakos like?” she teased.

“I had the best childhood in the world. I’m the youngest of three sons. Wonderful parents—hardworking, honest, loving—I think I told you that my dad owned a restaurant in Astoria, down the street from where we lived.” He talked with great passion about his family—their fierce love and loyalty to one another, their pride in Leo’s accomplishments, the raucous and fun dinners around their dining room table, and their family trips to Greece. He made it all sound magical, and so different from her sterile and lonely upbringing that as she looked across the table at him, she felt a longing to be part of this warm and devoted family.

“Did your mother work in the restaurant, too?” Piper asked. “Sometimes on the weekend, but never when we were small.

She was at home every day after school, and she made dinner for us every night. She’s an amazing cook.”

Piper filed that tidbit away. Their love of cooking would be something that she and his mother would have in common. She’d been able to forge a good connection with Matthew’s mother, and Ethan’s, too, for that matter. Now, she’d get another chance with Leo’s.

“How did your brothers feel about you not working in the family business?”

“There was no issue—Gus and George always wanted to work at the restaurant. They loved it. They were happy for me because they knew I was doing something I loved. My father insisted on paying for my undergrad, but when I went to NYU Law, I waited tables to help cover my tuition. My family’s always been very supportive of me.”

“They do sound wonderful,” Piper said.

“When you meet them, you can see for yourself.”

“I look forward to it.” And she meant it. She was looking forward to it and hoped they would like her. She was reticent to ask her next question but went ahead—forewarned was forearmed and all that. “Did they always get along with your wife?”

“Yes. She was good to my family from day one. A devoted daughter-in-law. My mother and father adored her—they never stopped. But they don’t know the whole story.”

“The whole story?”

He shrugged. “I’m sorry, I know we’re being open and honest, but to say more wouldn’t be fair to her. Suffice it to say that things are not always what they look like on the outside.”

She didn’t press him.

He put his hand over hers and gave her a small smile. “Since I’ve met you, Piper, I feel lighter, like a heavy load has been lifted from my shoulders. I can’t remember the last time I felt so happy.”

They talked until the restaurant closed then went back to her house. He seemed hesitant when she invited him in, but he followed her into the living room, and they sat beside each other on the sofa, the soft glow of moonlight spilling into the quiet darkness. After their conversation had been exhausted, he put his arm around her and she laid her head on his shoulder. He leaned forward and, putting his hand on her cheek, gently turned her face to his. Their lips met in a deep and passionate kiss. She wanted to whisk him upstairs to the bedroom and make love to him all night, but she could tell he was a traditional man, the kind who wanted to make the first move, so she held back.

He looked at his watch. “It’s late. I need to get home.”

She did her best to hide her disappointment as they stood and kissed again, this time longer and more slowly. Desire burned within her. She didn’t know how much longer she could wait, but she was in it for the long game and didn’t want to scare him off.

His voice was husky as he whispered in her ear. “You are a hard woman to resist.”

“You don’t have to,” she teased.

He cupped her face in his hands. “As much as I hate to leave, I do have to get home. Can I see you again this weekend?”

She nodded. “Yes.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” he said.

Later that night, she lay in bed and thought about the days ahead and all they had to look forward to. The only cloud on the horizon was the inevitable day when she would meet Leo’s kids. She’d never wanted children of her own, something about which she and Ethan had been of one mind, so it’d been easy when she was with him. Stelli and Evie would probably be wary of her at first, and she thought about ways she might get them to like and accept her. She needed to be careful and not come on too strong. She knew it was a delicate thing, introducing one’s children to the new girlfriend. The children would have to be part of any future she’d have with Leo, but they were young and malleable. Maybe that would make the difference this time.

| 12 |
JOANNA

The morning after the clearly-not-business dinner, I knew I had to take some kind of action, but I was having trouble coming up with a next step that didn’t make me seem like a jealous shrew. Finally, it came to me in a flash. I would email Piper and tell her I’d like to take her up on her offer of a free class at her “recovery and healing center,” to get a look at her in her own element. I knew that yoga was going to be a stretch for me—pun intended. I’ve never been much of a gym person; at most, I hop on the treadmill for half an hour or so, and much prefer walking or swimming. I guess that’s why I don’t wear a single-digit size. I figured I’d stick to the back of the class and hopefully nobody, especially Piper, would notice my ineptitude.

I’d gone online to google some basic moves so that I’d know my Downward-Facing Dog from my Tree, which, if you ask me, are ridiculous names. The Warrior poses, however, I can get behind—at least they make you sound like you’re kicking some ass. Clad in black Lycra and carrying a newly purchased yoga mat, I took a spot in the crowded studio. I was relieved to see the low lighting and had to admit the music coming from the speakers—which had been designed to look like stones—was soothing. How hard could it be? I thought. It was yoga. But then I paid closer attention to the women surrounding me. Women who looked like they could bounce a quarter off their bicep muscles. Tanned, blond, boasting diamond rings on their left hands that could have served as brass knuckles, all of them—every single one—looked as though they hadn’t eaten in weeks. Tank-Top Girls, I call them. You didn’t get into that kind of shape by just breathing and stretching. Even though this was billed as a beginner’s class, it was clear to me these women had done yoga before.

Two minutes before the hour, Piper walked in dressed in skyblue yoga pants and a sports bra that showed off her six-pack. Everyone stood at attention, staring at her as if she were royalty. Her long blond hair was pulled back into a slick ponytail, her perfect complexion devoid of makeup. Even bare-faced, she was stunning.

“Hello, everyone! It’s a beautiful evening to get healthy! Any newcomers today?”

I wasn’t about to raise my hand since she’d already acknowledged me with a nod when I first walked into the center. A woman in the front raised hers, fortunately, and Piper focused her attention there.

“Welcome! Go at your own speed. Remember, we’re all running our own race.”

I groaned inwardly. It was like she’d memorized a book of platitudes. I tried to keep my eyes on her, but it was difficult in some of the positions my body had to endure. I might have been wrong about loving the Warrior poses—my legs trembled as I tried to hold Warrior Two. From the glances I was able to steal, Piper was an unquestioned star at yoga. Her body did amazing things. I’d already known my figure was no match for hers, but with her agility? Forget it. Men probably wanted to tumble into bed with her the first time they saw her. My face burned at the thought of Leo thinking that about her.

At the end of the class, we lay on our mats, relaxing our bodies. My muscles were already sore. Piper dimmed the lights, and in a soft voice, she read a poem about staying connected to nature and the Earth. Then she walked slowly around the room with aromatic oil and asked us to take a moment of appreciation for our time in class. Gratitude is restorative, she said. And then from the front of the room, facing us as we sat up on our mats, she put her hands together in Prayer pose and uttered the word Namaste, to which the class responded, “Namaste.” I had looked it up earlier and knew it meant “the divine in me bows to the divine in you.”

I was eager to get out of there before the women dispersed, and luckily so many of them were crowded around Piper, vying for her attention, that she didn’t notice me leave. As I stood outside by my car, fishing in my bag for the keys, I spied the gorgeous redhead with a killer body who’d been a few mats over from me.

“Hi, there.” I approached her and put on my brightest smile. “This was my first yoga class, and I just have some beginner questions. Do you mind if I ask how long you’ve been coming here?”

“A while now. I usually go to Piper’s barre class, but my work schedule is a little crazy this week. She’s a super yoga teacher, not to mention she’s a great person.”

A Piper groupie, I thought. “Yeah, she seems very nice,” I said, nodding, hoping she’d go on.

“Oh, she is. We’ve become friends.”

“How nice. I heard somewhere that she’s new in town.”

“Yeah,” she said, looking off as if in thought. “Somewhere out west, Oregon or California? I can’t remember which.” She looked at her watch, then back at me. “Well, I’ve got to run. It was nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” I said, and went back to my car. Vague. That’s the vibe I was picking up from Piper. There was definitely a vagueness surrounding her.

Just as I opened the car door, I saw Piper come out of the center. Quickly shutting it, I walked over to her, figuring I might as well take the opportunity.

Her eyes widened when she saw me. “Joanna, hi! I was wondering where you’d gone. How did you like the class?”

“It was a bit difficult, to be honest. I’m not sure yoga is for me.”

She looked uncomfortable, her hands fingering her keys. “The first time can be hard, but if you keep it up, you might find you like it.”

I nodded and maintained eye contact. “Leo tells me that the preliminary work on the case is proceeding well and that you’ve been a big help.”

She just stared at me.

I went on. “He and I were talking about the timing after your meeting the other night. At the Oyster House.”

I watched her carefully and saw the slightest flicker of a tic in her cheek. She took a step back, her face now a mask. She wasn’t going to give anything away. I could see that.

“Well,” she said, backing up even more, “I need to get going. Nice to see you, and thanks for trying us out.”

“One thing,” I called as she was walking away. She turned, giving me an impatient look. “It could put Leo in jeopardy, being seen with a potential witness.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I have to go,” she said in a huff and walked quickly to her convertible. Figures it was one of those expensive imports.

I stood alone in the parking lot, thinking about our exchange and berating myself for having handled it so clumsily. I shouldn’t have been so impulsive, should have thought more before I spoke. She worried me, though. Leo was a good judge of character; you hone those skills as a criminal lawyer. But I was seeing something in her that he was missing. When she looked at me with those cold eyes and unyielding expression, I’d felt a chill in my spine. She hadn’t reacted at all to my words of caution, and even if she didn’t care about me—and that seemed relatively certain—shouldn’t she care about her new “friend” Leo? But it got me an answer: Piper Reynard was not the kind, feeling soul she pretended to be. Of that I was sure.

| 13 |
PIPER

Piper couldn’t stop thinking about her evening with Leo. She found herself smiling as she replayed it over and over, and couldn’t wait to finish her classes and get home and talk to him. She’d barely been able to concentrate all day, checking her phone for the texts he was sending her, telling her he couldn’t wait to see her, how she made him feel alive again, even trivial tidbits about how his day was going. It reminded her of her high school days, the notes she and Ethan had sent to each other, how much in love they’d been.

The one sour note had been when Joanna showed up at the yoga class. It felt like her eyes would burn holes through Piper, and it had been all she could do to concentrate while she taught. And then afterward, when Joanna had confronted Piper in the parking lot, she’d just wanted to tell her to go away and get a life—and flashed right back to Ava screaming at her in public. Instead, she’d walked away, but as she strode to her car, she was already formulating the conversation she’d need to have with Leo.

When she got home, she called him, ready to get to the heart of the matter.

“Hey there. How are you?” His voice was warm.

“Well, actually, I’ve been better. I’ve just had a visit from Joanna. She came to the center and took a class, then approached me in the parking lot.”

She heard a tsk of disapproval on the other end of the line. “What did she say?”

“It was what she didn’t say—a warning to stay away from you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Leo, listen. You told me you’re ready to move on. She doesn’t seem to understand that. I have very strong feelings for you, too, but I can’t let myself get in the middle of this.”

She heard a loud sigh before Leo spoke again. “She’s having a hard time coming to grips with the situation. I’m trying to be kind. But you have to believe me—I want to look ahead, not back. And when I look ahead, I see you.” He paused, as if to let that sink in. “I hope you feel the same. And I hope you’ll stick around while I sort everything out.”

“I want to, but …” She trailed off, certain he’d prompt her to finish her thought.

“But what?” he asked softly.

She smiled—he wanted to know, wanted to make things right with her. “I … I hate thinking of her living there still.”

Leo cleared his throat. “I’m working on that. She’s going to be gone soon. I promise.”

Piper didn’t answer right away, letting him sweat it out, then finally spoke. “Please don’t make me wait too long.”

| 14 |
JOANNA

After my terrible yoga class and awkward conversation with Piper, I needed to wind down. I checked on a sleeping Evie and Stelli, whom the sitter had put to bed, then poured myself a large glass of merlot. Whatever was going on or not going on between them, it was clear to me that she was uncomfortable seeing me, a flesh-and-blood reminder that Leo wasn’t actually on the market. Though I’d intended only to make that clear to her, I worried that my confronting her might have forced his hand. What I didn’t realize then was that I was about to take too many false steps and make too many mistakes.

I wanted to look my best when he got home, so I headed to the closet and looked through the dresses hanging there. Each time I’d seen Piper, she’d looked like she’d stepped off the pages of some kind of glossy magazine, and I didn’t want him to compare my more casual style with hers and find me lacking.

My eyes were drawn to a red cocktail dress, which I pulled off the rail, unzipped, and stepped into. It was tight, but if I dimmed the lights, maybe he wouldn’t notice. After squeezing out of it and laying it carefully on the bed, I went to the dresser, found some Spanx, and pulled them on. I squeezed into the dress a second time—it fit better now—and applied some red Chanel lipstick, smoothed my hair, and went downstairs to wait. I was sitting in the corner of the living room, sipping my wine, when my phone rang.

My mother’s name flashed on the screen.

“Hi, Mom.”

A voice I didn’t recognize came over the line. “Hello, is this Mrs. Doyle’s daughter?”

I felt my stomach drop. “Yes?”

“I’m calling from Norwalk Hospital. Your mother fell and broke her leg. She’s going into surgery shortly, but she asked us to call you before she was taken in.”

“Oh my gosh! I’ll be right there.” As I rushed back into the hallway, Leo walked in the front door and we almost collided.

His eyes widened when he saw me. “What are you wearing?”

“I … I just wanted to look nice. Please, Leo,” I said, running up the stairs, “I wanted to talk tonight, but my mom’s in the hospital. I have to change and get over there.”

“What happened?” He followed me to the second floor.

“She broke her leg. That’s all I know. I have to get to the hospital.”

“Yes, of course. I’m so sorry to hear it. Call and let us know how she is, okay?”

I left the house, touched by Leo’s concern.

When I got home late the next afternoon, I was exhausted. I’d spent the night at the hospital in a chair next to my mother’s bed. She looked so frail and vulnerable, and I wished there was something I could do to help her as she moaned in agony, despite the painkillers the doctor had prescribed. It was a displaced fracture, but it could have been worse. She could have broken a hip and been sent to a rehab facility. She did, however, need someone to take care of her at home. I’d asked her to come stay at the house, but she refused, saying she wanted to be in her own space, not to have to worry about Leo looking down on her, thinking she was not up to his so-called social standards. She’d always felt insecure around him, and no amount of reassurance on my part could change that.

Leo got home early for a change. I’d already filled him in on Mom’s condition by text, but I had to tell him what I’d decided in the meantime. As soon as he came into the kitchen, I cleared my throat. “I need to go and stay with her until she’s back on her feet, or at least until I can find someone to help her.”

He nodded. “Of course, you should do whatever you have to do. I can arrange for a sitter for the rest of the week. And Rebecca’s coming back on Monday anyway, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“Maybe I could take Stelli and Evie with me?” The thought of leaving them behind was more than upsetting.

But Leo shook his head. “We can’t disrupt their routines like that. Besides, your mother only has two bedrooms. Joanna, you should focus on her right now. We’ll be fine, I promise.”

I packed myself a bag of clothes with a heavy heart. And then I thought that maybe it would be good to give him a chance to miss me. Perhaps a little space would do us both some good.

The children were upset when I hugged them goodbye, but I promised that I’d be back as soon as I could and that we’d talk every day. And of course, they could come and see me, only briefly on the days when they had after-school activities, but at least it was something.

I followed Leo down the front steps as he carried my bag to the car. I spotted the gardener in the distance, trimming the tall hedges along the perimeter, and took one last look around the property before leaving. The garden beds were meticulously cared for, and they were a riot of color, lush with blooms of red, purple, and yellow. I caught the exquisite scent of roses as I neared my car, and turned, standing still to look again at the house I was leaving, feeling a vague sense of foreboding. The sound of the trunk slamming startled me, and then Leo walked around to the driver’s side, opening the door for me. I looked at him before getting into the car, waiting for him to say he would miss me, but he simply patted me on the shoulder and said, “Give your mother my best. It’s good that you’ll be there for her.”

And that was it. I drove the twenty minutes to my mother’s, tears blurring my vision the entire way. I’d brought her home earlier that morning and had asked a neighbor to stay with her while I ran out. The medical supply company had set up a hospital bed in the living room, where Mom would sleep, so she didn’t have to try to navigate stairs with her cast and crutches, and so that I could stay close by to wait on her.

The week went by in a blur. The only bright spot each day was when the sitter brought the kids over. They were so sweet to Mom, and she seemed a little cheered by their presence, although I could tell she was happy to have my undivided attention when it came time for them to leave. As they pouted, I explained why I couldn’t go home with them, but Stelli cried for the first few days.

It about killed me. I couldn’t do this much longer. I had to find a nurse or someone to stay the night so I could go back and be with my family. One day, just after the kids had left, I broached the subject with my mother, and she looked at me with fury in her eyes.

“I took care of you for your whole life, and you can’t sacrifice a few weeks of yours for me?”

“Mom, it’s not that,” I said, trying to keep my voice even. “The kids need me, too. I asked you to come stay with us, but you insisted on being here. Please try to understand.”

“I understand—you care more about that hotshot lawyer than your mother. The children have sitters and their father. They’ll be fine.”

“I know, Mom. But they’re young. It’s too hard for them to come here and then go home without me.”

“Fine, Joanna. Abandon your mother. Just remember that I gave up my career for you. I stayed home with you when you had mono. Remember? For six months I couldn’t work, and they gave my promotion to someone else. Who knows what direction my life would have taken if I’d been made a manager at my company? Instead, I lost my job. Your father left us for that woman and her daughter. And I took care of you after he was gone, even though you were already eighteen. I could have kicked you out like a lot of parents do when their kids come of age.”

I threw my hands up. What was the use? She always won. “I’ll stay, I’ll stay.”

That was my first mistake.

The next week, we were just finishing breakfast when a van pulled up to the house and a man knocked on the door to ask me where to put all my belongings—boxes, bags, and suitcases full of my stuff. The boxes looked like they’d been packed hurriedly, the clothing barely folded and overflowing out of the tops, my toiletries in a mixed jumble. My journals and books were thrown together in bags along with some framed photographs. I felt shocked and violated.

Thunderstruck, I called Leo. “What’s going on? Did you just have my things sent to my mother’s house?”

He sighed loudly. “Damn! I’m so sorry, Joanna. They weren’t supposed to come until tomorrow. I wanted to talk to you first.” He took a deep breath as my heart hammered in my chest. “Listen, I’ve been thinking about this for a while now. It’s not healthy anymore, living together.”

“How can you do this? How can you end it like this? Leo … I—”

“Joanna, I’ve got a client in the waiting room. I am sorry, but I have to go for now.” He hung up.

Was he serious? How dare he use my mother’s accident to get me out of the house? I’d have to go talk to him in person.

I barely made it through the rest of the day, but as soon as the clock hit six, I asked Mom’s next-door neighbor to come over and stay with her again, and she kindly agreed. I got to the house before Leo got home from work and let myself in. Rebecca looked surprised to see me when I walked into the kitchen but said nothing. I spent some time reading to the children, then asked Rebecca to take them out to dinner in town. I didn’t want them to overhear my conversation with Leo.

While I waited for him, I looked around the room and did a double-take when I spotted a new espresso machine. I’d never known Leo to drink espresso.

I braced myself when I heard his car pull up and the garage door open.

He seemed startled to see me when he came into the house. “What are you doing here?”

“I came to talk to you.” My heart was beating so fast I thought I would pass out. It was ridiculous that I was feeling this shaky and nervous, given that this was where I belonged.

He gave me a sympathetic look. “Let’s sit down and talk about this calmly.” He put his hand on my back and led me gently to the couch in the living room, then turned to me. “Joanna, I’m sorry. I know this isn’t what you want, but I just can’t give you what you want. I’d like for us to part as friends, especially for the sake of the children.”

Tears sprang to my eyes. “Friends? I don’t understand. I’ve helped you get through this horrible time, and now you want to get rid of me? How can you just … dispose of me after all these years? I’ve been the one by your side as you’ve built your practice. I’ve taken care of the house. Devoted myself to the children. I’ve always handled everything so you didn’t have to worry about anything. And now, you want to replace me and go on with your life?” The pain of his betrayal ripped through me as if I were being torn in two.

He put his head in his hands for a moment, then looked at me again. “I do appreciate everything you’ve done over the years, but I can’t help my feelings. Life is short. I’m in love with someone else, and I need to be happy.”

I stood up, my face hot. “Piper Reynard? How long have you known her—three weeks, a month?” My voice rose. “She’s just using you. Why can’t you see that?” I was losing it, and I knew I sounded crazy, but there was too much emotion boiling up inside me. Later I’d wonder if I had stayed calm, if I had told him about my concerns about Piper’s lack of a past and what she might be hiding, would it have gone better? But my heart was shattering, and there was no way to hold it in.

His eyes were filled with pity. This wasn’t my Leo in front of me. It was as though he’d been replaced by a look-alike, an imposter. He shook his head. “You’re wrong. Piper loves me, and I love her. We’re going to be together, and you need to accept that. You’ll find someone yourself. You just need to let go.”

His words were like a physical blow. I actually staggered backward, trying to catch my breath. “How can you say that?”

“Because it’s true. And I want the best for you. You need to get on with your life. I’ll be more than generous. You won’t have to worry about money.”

“You think you can just buy me off? I don’t want your money. I want you! I want us!”

“There is no us. You need to let go.”

“How can you be so cruel? I love you. We’re a family. Don’t do this.”

“Please, Joanna. Don’t make this harder than it has to be. You need to go.” He rose and stood, looking down at me, waiting. “Come on. I’ll walk you to your car.”

I followed him to the front door, my mind churning. How could I be losing everything that mattered to me?

| 15 |
PIPER

As soon as Piper had awakened, Leo had called to confirm their plans for that afternoon. After they said goodbye, she poured a second cup of tea, and almost immediately, her phone pinged with a text message. Counting the hours until I see you. Hated having to leave you last night. Xo. Piper smiled. She couldn’t wait either. They talked every day now, usually first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, bookending their days. They even managed to see each other three nights a week. She’d been afraid at first that it would be hard for him to get away, but now that Joanna was gone, and the nanny, Rebecca, was living there again, it had become easier. The only thing that frustrated her was that Leo had been taking things very slowly, and had told her that he wanted everything to be perfect when they finally became intimate with each other. Piper still hadn’t met the children, and a part of her wondered if that was some sort of a test, if perhaps Leo wanted to make sure that his children approved of her before taking the relationship to the next level. But she was tired of waiting and intended to speed things up tonight.

Piper lifted the tea bag and placed it on the small porcelain dish, smiling to herself. She and Leo had never spent a weekend day together, but this Saturday was going to be different. Stelli and Evie were spending all day Saturday and Sunday morning with Leo’s parents. That meant that Leo and Piper had the entire day and night to themselves, and she planned to make the most of their time.

She rose and walked to the conservatory, where a wall of glass faced out across the Long Island Sound, sat in an armchair, and closed her eyes. Her mind had been wandering lately when she meditated, and so she tried to keep herself focused on her breath, in and out. When she looked at her watch, she was pleased to see that a half hour had passed. Pulling out her yoga mat, she did some stretches and a short routine. Her body felt supple and limber.

Everything was good. Even the weather was cooperating—it was a gorgeous July morning, with no rain in the forecast, and winds were from the southwest at ten knots. An ideal day for sailing. She had made arrangements with the club to pack a lunch basket and a bottle of wine for them to take on the sailboat. Leo would meet her on the dock at noon.

With one last look at the calm waters, she went upstairs to dress, pulling on a pair of white shorts and a navy T-shirt, and taking a light sweater from the closet shelf in case it got cooler toward evening. On the way out, she grabbed a tube of sunscreen, since she couldn’t remember how much was left in the one on the boat. She’d been so busy at work and her mind occupied with Leo that she hadn’t taken it out since the beginning of June, and she’d missed it. Being on the water, controlling the sails and rigging—that was a time when she was alone with the elements and had to concentrate fully. It cleared her head, stopped her ghosts from haunting her. Out on the water, she could be herself, unencumbered and pure.

She walked along the boards and felt a swell of exhilaration as she neared the forty-one-foot Jeanneau she kept docked at the pier. It was a beauty and often a challenge to skipper alone, but Piper loved a challenge. She stepped on board and went below. A small basket of fruit sat on the table, and she opened the refrigerator door to find a variety of cheeses along with a bottle of white wine inside.

“Permission to come aboard, Captain?” Leo’s deep voice called to her.

“Permission granted,” she said, laughing, as she climbed the stairs to the upper deck.

“What a great boat,” he said, running a hand along the shiny railing. “You handle this all by yourself?”

“I do, but it can be a lot, especially docking and tying up. It’ll be good to have your help. But we’re lucky—the water’s like glass. It’ll be so peaceful out there today.”

They worked the lines together, and Piper maneuvered out of the slip, setting sail. They sailed the Sound in silence, and she noticed Leo’s shoulders relaxing as he leaned reflexively into the gentle motion of the boat. After an hour, she tacked closer to shore, set the anchor, and joined him.

“Enjoying yourself?” she asked him.

“I can’t think of any place I’d rather be than on this little bit of heaven with you.” He reached his hand out to hers and pulled her gently onto his lap. “You make me happy,” he said, and his lips touched hers.

The kiss was long and deep, and Piper felt a stirring inside of her that was almost painful.

“Let’s go below.” His lips were now against her ear, his voice low and husky.

Together, they hurried to the stateroom. Piper turned to him as she reached the bed and paused, waiting for him to undress her. He understood, lifted the T-shirt over her head, and immediately his hands were unfastening her bra, freeing her breasts. He caressed them, first with his hands, then his mouth. Piper let out a moan and lay back on the bed. She had never felt such intense desire. They made love as if starved—urgently and passionately. After a second, more languorous time, they fell asleep to the soft rocking of the boat.

They awoke hungry, and Piper wrapped a leg over his. “How about some food and a glass of wine?”

“I don’t know. Can’t we just stay in bed forever?” He kissed her, pulling her body closer to his.

“You can come up for air, Mr. Drakos. We have all day.” She ran a hand across his belly, nestling her head against his chest.

“I want to know everything about you,” he said. “What your dreams are, what’s most important to you, all the things you care about.”

“Ah, let’s see … I want to make a difference in people’s lives. I know that sounds like a cliché, but I really mean it. I believe in the basic goodness and decency of most people. Sometimes you just have to help them connect to that part of themselves. It’s very gratifying.”

Leo kissed the top of her head as she lay against him. “You’re a wonderful woman, Piper. I feel like I could face anything with you by my side.” After a while they got up and dressed, then devoured the cheese and fruit. Piper poured a glass of wine for each of them and took a long swallow of hers.

“We should probably pull up anchor,” she said. “It’s getting late, and I want to get back while it’s still light.”

“All right. But first …” He took her hand and pulled her back toward the bed, lifted her T-shirt over her head once more, and pressed his body against hers. They fell onto the bed together, locked in each other’s arms; his mouth hungrily found hers. She could feel the flush of heat surge through her entire body, as they made wild love.

They sailed back in companionable silence, speaking only when she needed help with the lines. After they had docked the boat and disembarked, they left Piper’s car at the club and took his car to her house.

“I’ll run upstairs and change for dinner. I won’t be long.” She rose onto tiptoes and kissed him as they stood in the entrance hall. “There’s a bottle of red in the kitchen. Go pour yourself a glass while I change.”

“I think I’d rather follow you.”

“Down, boy,” she said with a laugh.

True to her word, she was back downstairs in ten minutes, her shorts replaced with a long, white slip dress. She’d released her hair from its ponytail, and it hung loose and straight to her shoulders.

“Beautiful,” he said appreciatively as she descended the stairs. “You are absolutely glowing.”

She smiled at him. “A certain gentleman is the reason for that.”

They left the house hand in hand, and as she settled back into the passenger’s seat of his car, she replayed their lovemaking in her mind. Things had changed on the boat this afternoon. The relationship was at a completely different level now—intimate and private. They had the whole evening ahead of them, and she knew beyond a doubt that he would stay until morning. It would be perfect … and she couldn’t wait to have him all to herself all night.

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