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  “Yes, sir.” Chloe looked apologetically toward him.

  “And if there’s any chance that what you’re doing will result in calls from the police, please reconsider or let us know before you do it,” Dylan reasoned. “If you had let me know how serious this was to you, I would have picked you up and stood out there with you.”

  “So would I. I’m sure there was a motion or injunction we could have filed to help halt this while you gathered the troops. There were much better ways to handle this whole situation,” Teri said in alliance with Dylan.

  “Did they already tear it down?” Chloe asked, her uncertainty touched his heart.

  “The wrecking crews were there at seven this morning.” Dylan leaned over and patted her arm. He knew those words were going to cut deep inside his passionate girl.

  “Dang it! This is wrong! They shouldn’t be allowed to tear down our history like that. Our elected officials don’t represent us anymore. They just bully us and shove their agenda down our throats.” Dylan would never say a word about how those ideals wouldn’t have helped in this situation. Chloe was upset and the tears were back in her eyes. Her pain now becoming his own.

  “And that’s why you’re getting into law, to make those changes to our world.” At those words, Chloe launched herself at her mother. Teri held a crying Chloe in her arms, stroking her hair, trying to give her comfort.

  Several helpless minutes passed before she came up for air.

  “Promise me, Chloe. No more of this. You’ll plan better next time, all right?” Dylan patted her head this time, pushing a few napkins on the table toward her. He was never really good with the tears that came from his daughters, but he wanted that point clearly made one more time before she left.

  “Yes, sir.” Chloe sounded defeated, swiping at her eyes, cleaning her face.

  “And we’ll all be smarter next time. Use all the resources we have to make the changes, not just break the law,” Teri added, nodding at her daughter.

  “Yes, ma’am.” Chloe blew her nose loudly.

  “All right, sweet girl, I went back into town and I got this for you from the stadium.” Dylan stood and went to one of the cabinets where he pulled out a small metal sign that said ‘Panther Power’ with the school’s logo-designed paw print in the middle. That got the tears going again. All he could do was look confused at Teri and push more napkins his daughter’s way. He hoped some happy tears were mixed in there.

  “Thank you, Daddy.” Chloe was up, hugging him like he had given her the most special gift a person could receive. “I’m gonna hang this in my dorm room to always remember to fight for what I love.”

  Dylan shot a look toward Teri, trying to gauge the drama factor of that sentence. Females were so different than males. When he got a little eye-roll from Teri, he nodded. That had to have rated above an eight on the excessive-drama meter. “Okay, go wash your face and dry your eyes before you head back to school.”

  “Yes, sir. Thank you, Daddy. Bye, Mom, be safe out of town.” Chloe closed the door to the bathroom off the kitchen as Dylan sat back down at the kitchen table.

  “Did we even get our point across?” Dylan asked.

  “She’s good. She’ll be a great litigator. She diverts the topic so well.” Teri took a long drink of coffee while they waited for Chloe to finish.

  Chloe came back into the room more composed, and said, “Love you guys. Thank you for coming to get me.” She gathered her things, then blew them kisses before heading toward the back door.

  “Be safe. Call me,” Teri called out.

  “Get your breakfast.” Dylan pointed to the wrapped sandwich.

  “I miss you making my breakfast, Dad.” She gave a slight smile, her bottom lip quivering as she stepped back inside to take the breakfast sandwich. With the metal plate tucked close to her heart and a wave, she was gone.

  “Mark’s gonna be here soon,” Teri announced as soon as he heard Chloe’s car start in the driveway. She cleaned up her things at the table and drained her coffee cup.

  “Go get ready. I’ve got this.” Dylan took her cup and half-eaten piece of toast. He’d barely gotten the breakfast dishes loaded when the back doorbell rang. It was either Mark or Janie, their housekeeper.

  Dylan reached for a dish cloth, dried his hands, and went for the door. Teri got there first.

  “Hey, babe,” she said, and her whole demeanor changed. She had both her suitcases in her hands and a big grin on her face. Dylan was happy Teri had someone in her life that gave her a smile like the one that lit up her face when she looked at Mark.

  “I waited a little while to make sure she didn’t come back.” Mark gave Teri a quick peck on the lips.

  “They should all be gone.” Dylan stuck out a hand to shake Mark’s.

  “I sent you an email with our itinerary. I’m going to be on and off the ship. I’ll call when I can. The kids and my parents think I’m in Chicago. If you need me, email me, and I’ll check every time we dock,” Teri said. Mark grabbed her luggage and started for his car parked in the back of their house.

  “We need to go, babe.” Mark loaded her things, but looked antsy as hell. Reprimanding Chloe this morning hadn’t been factored into the already tight schedule.

  “Don’t worry about anything here. I’ll hold down the fort.” Dylan chuckled as they got to the car. “Or bail whoever needs it out of jail.”

  “Who went to jail?” That stopped Mark in his hurried tracks as he stood there looking confused.

  “I’ll tell you on the way,” Teri said.

  Mark slammed the trunk closed and rounded to open the passenger door for her. “I talked to Nanny Laura and she’s coming Friday and Saturday to stay with the kids. I think I told you that.” Teri gave Dylan a quick hug before getting inside. Mark left the shutting of the door to him and hurried to the driver’s side.

  “Mark gets better and better looking the older he gets,” Dylan whispered where only Teri could hear.

  “He’s not as handsome as you, but he’s a good guy,” Teri offered, glancing Mark’s way as he opened the driver’s side door, got inside, and started the car.

  “You’ve got money and credit cards?” Dylan asked.

  “Yes. I’m nervous. I’ve never left you guys for this long.”

  “We’re gonna be fine. Go have fun!” Dylan said, standing again to shut the car door.

  “Babe, you’re killing me! We’re gonna miss the flight,” Mark called out.

  “Go get him, cougar!” Dylan kept the grin and shut the door, backing away with a wave. She playfully shot him the finger with a big smirk on her face. When he caught Mark’s eye, he lifted a hand to him and stood there appreciating the view as the guy turned the car around and drove down their driveway. She’d done well finding him. Mark was about seven years younger than Teri and Dylan’s exact opposite. Mark’s Italian heritage gave him dark hair, almost black eyes, and an olive complexion. He also clearly spent a lot of time in the gym—the personification of an Italian stallion. Together, he and Teri were a stunning couple. Besides Teri’s fair complexion they were equals on every level. And in her heels she was even close to his height.

  Dylan forced himself to turn away when he couldn’t see the car any longer. He was happy for her. Mark and Teri had been together for a while now. She’d found someone good to be with…and he left that thought right there, not letting himself expand on what their relationship meant to the overall picture of his life. Those decisions were made a long, long time ago when he’d finally come clean to himself and Teri as to who he was as a man. It had been a tough decision to stay married for their children, but they’d decided not to divorce and stick this out together until their kids entered college. It seemed the responsible thing to do all those years ago.

  They were friends, best friends, and that said a lot. Dylan had made his bed so to speak. He wouldn’t think about all the fabulous sex she was about to have or the days of playing in the sun with that hot Italian stud. Or the fact he’d done n
othing to move his life forward in the relationship department, no matter how much Teri encouraged him to get out and test the waters. He wasn’t entirely certain how all of this would work out in the future, and he didn’t have time to dwell. Right now, he was going back inside the house to finish the dishes and head to work. Yay him.

  The alarm on his cell phone chirped an irritating tone, pulling Tristan from his work. That ringtone always grated on his nerves. He’d chosen that particular one precisely because it was impossible to ignore. It couldn’t already be that late, could it? He scrubbed a hand over his face and looked up at the large metal clock strategically hung above the fireplace in his home office. Fuck! Where had the day gone? Tristan shoved away from the desk and stretched his arms above his head, arching his back as he made his way upstairs and padded barefoot across the tiled floors to the kitchen. He rolled his neck, then his shoulders, shrugging off the day’s worries. Boy, could he use a good massage right about now.

  Absently, he tapped the remote on the wall and listened as the back patio doors slid open. The salty smell of the ocean scented the air. He took the pitcher of mojitos from the refrigerator and poured himself a tall glass, stealing a quick sip before placing the rest back inside. Lime and the faint taste of mint burst across his palate. Perfect. The cocktail had been made for him by his housekeeper, and like always, she nailed the blend of alcohol and mix.

  She surprised him regularly with new drink recipes. He never knew what delicacy sat waiting for him each evening in his refrigerator.

  Tristan strolled through the quiet house, the cool tile floor comforting against the soles of his feet. He stopped to straighten a Darko Topalski painting on the wall, before stepping into his spacious living room, which had to be his favorite room of the house. The living room was a mishmash of modern and contemporary with a bit of Old World thrown in, simply because the pieces he’d found while traveling Europe suited his taste. The distinct blend of color reached out into the patio and melded into the brilliant orange and dusty pink sky that assuredly announced the approach of evening. Just like with his bedroom, the living room’s back wall slid open, making it impossible to distinguish where the room ended and the patio began.

  Dusk was his favorite time of day. No matter where he was or what he planned, he took a few minutes to sit outside and watch as the sun slipped behind the dark horizon, ending the day. Sunset was a symbolic moment to Tristan, a time of momentary pause to ground himself and appreciate the beauty of the world around him. Since Laguna Beach in the early spring was a magical place, he let the hues of the sky take his thoughts from accounting forms and acquisition details that seemed to be the focus of most of his life.

  Tristan headed for the lounger. He preferred to kick back and lose himself in the captivating moment. The evening air was a bit chilly for the walking shorts and T-shirt he wore, but Maria, his housekeeper, had draped a hoodie over the back of the chair. Tristan smiled when he saw it. The woman was always a step ahead. An unexpected gust of wind caused a smattering of goose bumps to spring up on his arms and a shiver to run down his spine. He set his glass down long enough to pull the welcomed warmth over his head. As he picked up the drink, he also grabbed the remote control, and turned the stereo on. He chose Sublime’s upbeat “What I Got” as the song for tonight, only because he knew every single word.

  “Hey,” Landry Prescott, his chief operating officer, said as he stepped out onto the deck. Maria must have let him in.

  “Hey, there’s a fresh batch of mojitos in the refrigerator. Grab a glass. They’re delicious,” Tristan said, lifting his drink. Landry knew the drill. He’d been with Tristan since the beginning. They attended high school together. They’d been buddies. Tristan loved mathematics and was a certified genuine computer geek. Landry was a jock but also one hell of a genius at motivating the troops. While all the other kids in school were focused on dating and the opposite sex, Tristan had hunkered down and developed the first automated web program, linking site after site together on the internet.

  It took about two years, with his family leveraging everything they had to invest in Tristan’s ideas to help him build an algorithm and sustainable crawler for the masses. By the time he turned sixteen, he had a staff of eight people, one being Landry, and they worked out of the garage of his parents’ home. Now, twenty years later, he employed tens of thousands of people across the world and had his hand in about everything electronic-related on the market. He’d launched his newest offering at the beginning of the year. A social media site called WilderNation. He’d officially tossed his hat into the social media scene, and for the first time in his life, something he touched hadn’t turned immediately to gold. Actually, performance-wise he hadn’t even earned the bronze. Which now had become the number one priority of his entire senior executive staff.

  “God, Maria’s talented.” Landry sighed, taking a seat next to Tristan, with glass in hand.

  “Agreed. And something smells awesome coming out of that oven. I’m lucky to have her,” he said, picking up the binoculars. Sometimes he could spot the dolphins in the distance. Those were excellent days.

  “Traffic was weirdly light today,” Landry mentioned casually, taking the binoculars that Tristan held out for him.

  “Dead center traveling north.” Tristan pointed to the small pod he’d spotted. “Did you read the last reports I sent?”

  “Yeah, I was thinking Secret looked pretty good. It’s got more members than we do. The guy worked at Texas Instruments for years before he developed the site. It looks the most stable to me. His concept’s proprietary. No one has it yet but him,” Landry said, his eyes still on the dolphins.

  “I like the idea of no paper trail,” Tristan added.

  “It’s got some serious criticism,” Landry replied, giving the binoculars back to Tristan.

  “They’ve handled that well and they’re right. Bad people will use anything for their gain. I’m coming to see the benefits of that mobile app. I like messages disappearing. It alleviates all sorts of issues. I think the consumer would devour it if we can just get it in enough hands,” Tristan mused aloud, before taking a long drink.

  “Marketing has some rough ideas about a global initiative and legal has the paperwork ready,” Landry said, already draining his glass.

  “The owner’s coming this week, correct?” Tristan asked.

  “Yep, Thursday and Friday. Maybe Friday, Saturday. I can’t remember. He’s bringing his senior team along.”

  “I wanna sit in on all those meetings. We need to push this along. I don’t want to string this thing out a year,” Tristan stated.

  “He’s not sure he’s interested in selling,” Landry said, rising.

  “What’s his personal background?”

  “Upper middle class. He’s a computer science engineer, wife’s an attorney. They have some kids,” Landry answered, placing his glass on the patio table. “I’ve gotta get going. Amy’s got something going on tonight.”

  “Tell her hello.” Tristan resisted the urge to give his buddy a hard time about the whirlwind romance he’d had with his assistant. They had broken every company policy Wilder, Inc. had, but they married a few weeks ago and Tristan had been the best man. He wondered if things had turned out differently, how that would have looked in court. Landry was lucky the relationship worked out like it had.

  Landry showed himself out as Tristan went in search of whatever heavenly concoction lay within that oven.

  Sometime around midnight, Tristan sat back in his office chair, digging his thumb and forefinger into his eyes. He’d spent the better part of the night working on a top secret priority—if only to himself—robotics program. Something he’d gotten in his head a couple of years ago. He’d never shared his ideas with anyone, but had had prototypes built on a very small scale. The tweaking was making him a little crazy. Fine-tuning the motor skills took time.

  Tristan just had a knack for these things, and since he’d made his billions being innovative, he�
�d tried to stay cutting edge by keeping one step ahead of competition. He always reasoned that was why he had an innovations department that employed several hundred people, all working new, creative concepts to keep his computer software company ahead of the game. He lived for the idea of helping people gather the information they needed, ever since the moment he’d realized his web crawler was a viable product all those years ago.

  Tristan pushed the office chair across the room as his cell phone vibrated. He generally ignored the device, but since he needed a mental break, he decided to answer, effectively ending a song from Hozier playing from a playlist off his phone.

  “Hello.” Tristan caught Julian’s name flash across the caller ID as he answered.

  “What’re you doing? You occupied?” Tristan thought he detected a slight slur, but at this time of night, he didn’t expect anything less.

  “No,” he finally said. He began the process of shutting down the extensive computer equipment, which took some time. “I was just downstairs, working.”

  “Well, I’m at your door. You want some company tonight?” Having a regular booty call sure made life a little easier. There was no chase with Julian and absolutely zero commitment. If he’d been in here with another guy, Julian might have asked to join in on the activities. Julian’s uninhibited nature and always-up-for-anything attitude was what he liked best about the guy.

  “I’m headed up. You alone?” That was another question he’d learned to ask.

  “Yeah, but I could call Stephen if you’re up for a threesome,” Julian replied.

  “Nah, I’ve gotta be up early.” Tristan entered the code to the downstairs door, which he kept locked at all times. Maria was the only one who could get inside and that was to do minimal cleaning.

  “All right, I promise I won’t keep you up all night. Open the door.” Tristan took the phone away from his ear and unlocked the front door remotely while taking the stairs up to the main level. He stepped into the foyer as the door opened. Julian was right up his alley for the night. Tall, dark, lean, and more than willing. “Come in.”