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  That night Jenna was awake for hours thinking about her parents and her lost siblings. Even after sharing the news with her foster sisters during their nightly three-way call, Jenna’s heart was heavy. Her thoughts were filled with so many memories of Scott. On nights like this, when she’d been sad or awakened from a bad dream about her family, Scott had simply held her close. He hadn’t made empty promises that it would be alright. He’d held onto her, let her know she was not all alone in the world. He’d been there for her.

  Why was she thinking of him now? It wasn’t as if she missed him. So why did she suddenly feel the need to share her news with him? It was crazy. They weren’t friends. It was hours before she could push Scott out of her thoughts and finally fall asleep.

  Jenna chewed on the corner of her lip as she waited for someone to answer the phone. Her glance darted anxiously around her living room. She had put off making the call as long as she could, but the deciding element had been the arrival of a dozen purple and pink tulips.

  She hadn’t even had to open the card to know they’d been from Scott. Her hands had been shaking when she had finally gotten around to opening the envelope. She’d been shocked that he’d remembered that she loved tulips more than roses. It had been a simple thank-you for their lunch. He’d had them sent to her office on campus since he hadn’t had her home address.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Taylor, it’s Jenna.”

  “Hi, girlfriend. I’m so glad you called. In fact, I was just going to call you. How’s it going? Are you all settled in?”

  Jenna was frustrated because she couldn’t say what she was really thinking. This was a duty call—it had nothing to do with their past friendship. Unfortunately, she cared about Taylor and couldn’t bring herself to state the facts. Taylor had always been kind to her, and Jenna loved her and missed her. Why did Taylor have to be Scott’s sister?

  Jenna shifted, struggling to get comfortable. Then she said, “Things are going well. And I’m all settled into the house and my job.”

  “Great! Running into you gave me an idea. I have been talking to some of our old coworkers at the campus’s old computer lab. We haven’t seen each other in so long. Now that you’re back in town, I thought it would be great to plan a little get-together in your honor.” When Jenna didn’t answer, Taylor asked, after a lengthy pause, “Jenna, are you still there?”

  Struggling to keep her voice calm, Jenna forced herself to say, “Yes, I’m here. Just surprised.”

  “Don’t worry. You don’t have to do a thing but show up. I’m planning it for next Wednesday evening at my house. Please say you can come.”

  No! Jenna wanted to scream into the telephone. The reason she’d called was to get Scott’s address so she could send him back the money she owed him. And thank him for the flowers. That was it. What had she gotten herself into?

  Taylor went on to say, “I talked to Richard Hawkins, Sarah Campbell, Margaret Jones, Jane Peters, and Jackson Knight and Janet Hartman. All of us are looking forward to seeing you and each other and catching up on our lives. It’s going to be so much fun. Say you can come, Jenna.”

  Jenna knew she couldn’t say no because she was afraid she would run into Scott again. She was turning into a coward, and she knew it. Besides, this get-together had nothing to do with Scott. Just old friends getting reacquainted.

  “I don’t know, Taylor. I wouldn’t want to put you to so much trouble.”

  “Trouble? Not at all. I love to entertain. Donald, the big tease, would say it was a good excuse for me to show off my cooking skills and the house, but that isn’t true. Is Wednesday a bad night for you? I could try Thursday?”

  Jenna found herself saying, “No, Wednesday is fine. Yes, I’d love to come. Thanks for asking.”

  “You’re very welcome. Give me your address. I’m going to send an invitation with all the information on how to get to the house.”

  “I thought you said this was an informal get-together.”

  “It will be. But my mother taught me to do things the right way. Go ahead. I have a pen.” After Jenna complied, Taylor surprised her when she laughed, saying, “I forgot you made the call. Was there something you wanted other than to talk?”

  “Nothing important.” Jenna took the easy way out. “See you on Wednesday. Bye.”

  Besides, she didn’t want to talk to Taylor about her brother. Why open that can of worms? How could she explain that she wanted to mail a twenty-dollar check to a man who was a multimillionaire? It didn’t make a lick of sense. What difference did it make if she didn’t thank him for the flowers? Better yet, she would just forget about the whole thing. Scott was no longer a part of her life, regardless of how many nights she stayed awake thinking about him.

  Jenna tried to ignore the way she shivered as goose pimples covered her arms. As she stared at the tulips in her best crystal vase on the coffee table, she tried not to think of the man who’d sent them.

  She’d done the right thing by agreeing to go to next Wednesday night’s get-together. She hadn’t hurt a friend, and she wouldn’t fool herself any longer; Taylor was her friend, someone she cared about. And she was looking forward to talking to their old friends, some of whom she hadn’t seen in years.

  It was good she hadn’t mentioned Scott. Now all she had to do was convince herself that it really didn’t matter whether he came or not. Besides, Scott had never worked at the computer lab. Enough! She wasn’t going to live each day worrying every minute that she might run into Scott Hendricks.

  She couldn’t be happier with her life choices. She had moved beyond trying to please Scott. There was no need to look backward, especially when she had so much to look forward to. The party would be fun.

  When Jackson invited her to go with him to the get-together at the Williamses’, Jenna firmly pushed any wayward doubts away and said yes without hesitating. She would be pleased to have Jackson at her side.

  On the night of the party, she was proud that she wasn’t stressing over what she’d wear or what to do with her hair. She intended to focus on being the confident woman who had achieved many of her goals. She also intended to focus on having a good time.

  Her cell phone rang while she smoothed on a plum-colored knit, knee-length dress. She’d filled the V-neckline with a rope of pearls and a gold necklace. Certain it was her date calling to say he was running late, she didn’t even glance at the caller ID when she answered, “Hi, Jackson . . .”

  “Ms. Gaines?”

  “Yes?”

  “This is Collagen.”

  “Yes, Mr. Collagen?” She didn’t try to conceal the worry that crept into her voice.

  “I think I’ve found him.”

  Jenna’s heart began to pound loudly in her ears. “My brother? You found Lincoln!” she screamed, nearly dropping the telephone in her excitement. She was shaking so badly that she had to sit down on the bed. It took several moments to get her next words out. “Are you sure?”

  “No, I’m not. But you asked me not to approach him. He lives in a suburb outside of Cleveland, Ohio. And he fits the general description. He was adopted when he was seven. His name is Lincoln Nicholas, and he’s an attorney.”

  “Lincoln Nicholas,” she whispered, unaware of the tears that trickled down her face, blurring her vision.

  “I hav
e to warn you that without approaching him, I can’t be certain he was Lincoln Gaines. The circumstances seem perfect, but he might not be your brother. Now, if you’d only let me talk to him even briefly, I might save you a needless trip down here.”

  “No, please don’t talk to him. I want to do this myself. What do your instincts tell you?”

  There was a distinct hesitation before he answered, “I believe this is Lincoln Gaines, your brother.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Collagen.”

  “Have a pen and paper?”

  “Yes. Just a moment.” Jenna searched through her nightstand until she found both, then carefully wrote down the address and directions to Lincoln’s house. She read them back to Jack Collagen just to make sure she’d gotten it right. He gave her Lincoln Nicholas’s work and home addresses and telephone numbers.

  “How soon can you get here?”

  “I can leave on Friday morning.”

  “Do you want me to meet you at his home? I can come with you when you approach him.”

  “Thanks, Mr. Collagen, but I have to do this my way. I’ll call you as soon as I know something. Thanks again.”

  “Don’t thank me yet, I might be wrong. Good luck, Ms. Gaines,” Jack Collagen said before hanging up.

  Jenna didn’t know what to think. She was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions, including fear. She closed her eyes, concentrating on breathing evenly and deeply. As her heart rate slowed, she grinned. She simply savored the hope that this could indeed be Lincoln, her long-lost brother. It could be him. It was him. It just had to be. Her head was spinning with excitement as she pressed trembling hands to damp cheeks. Goodness! She would have to redo her makeup. So what if she was going to be late? None of that mattered. She might have found her brother!

  Scott had always said she would find her siblings someday. He’d teased that she was too stubborn to give up. Even back then, he’d spent hours on the Internet, helping her sort through information. Years later, he’d made a point of asking if she’d found her family. He was going to be pleased.

  As she creamed away her eye makeup and reapplied shadow and eyeliner to swollen lids, she was startled to realize that the first person she’d thought to share the news with was Scott. Why not her foster sisters? Or even Taylor? They’d all supported her efforts to locate her family and knew how much finding them meant to her. Why Scott? They hadn’t been close in years.

  Yet she couldn’t dismiss the many nights that he had held her close, comforting her. He’d listened to her fears and assured her that it was only a matter of time. One of the things that had drawn her to him from the first was his views on the importance of family. She had no doubts that despite their estrangement, Scott would be genuinely happy for her. He would also be the one person she shouldn’t tell.

  When the doorbell rang, Jenna greeted Jackson with a warm smile. It never occurred to her to share her news with him.

  Jenna arrived on the Williamses’ doorstep on Jackson’s arm, looking forward to the evening ahead. She couldn’t count the number of part-time jobs she’d had over the years in her quest to finish her schooling, but the computer lab had been the most pleasant by far. She’d met some wonderful people and formed lasting friendships.

  “Jenna!” Donald smiled down at her from his superior height of six-eight. He was just as handsome and warm as she remembered. Without hesitation he swept her into a bear hug. “How are you, little one? It has been too long.”

  Jenna laughed, feeling confident that she not only looked her best but was also ready for anything. Given the fact that she was wearing three-inch heels, there were very few people who could call her little and mean it. She was glad that her date was above-average height. Jackson was six-two, an attractive, confident man in his late thirties.

  “It’s wonderful to see you, Donald. You look great and so fit.”

  Donald laughed. “Thanks. Jackson, it’s good to see you, man.” He shook hands. “Come on in.” He stepped back, taking her black wool shawl embroidered with colorful butterflies along the borders. “Taylor! Our guest of honor has arrived.”

  Jenna was quickly swept up in a hug from Taylor. Like her husband, she didn’t seem taken aback to see Jenna with Jackson. Then there were hugs from Janet and Sarah, both students when they’d worked in the lab. Like Jenna, they now both worked at the university. Richard Hawkins was with Jane Peters. They had married and now had three young sons. Soon Jenna and Jackson were laughing over old times with the others.

  Taylor said, “Come on, Jenna. I want to reintroduce you to my mother.”

  The house was large and lovely, but Jenna barely had a chance to do more than glance around as Taylor led her into the charming family room, where the beautiful older woman was comfortably seated on the sofa.

  “Mama? You remember Jenna Gaines. Jenna, my mother, Virgina Hendricks.”

  Opening her arms for a hug, Mrs. Hendricks said, “It’s good to see you, my dear. How are you?”

  Jenna leaned down and returned the welcoming hug. “I’m fine. Thank you. It’s a pleasure to see you again. You are looking well.” She hadn’t forgotten how warm and generous Mrs. Hendricks had been when Jenna had visited her home in Florida years earlier with Scott.

  “I understand from Taylor that congratulations are in order.”

  “Oh, you mean finishing my degree? Thank you. It’s taken a while,” Jenna said with a laugh.

  Mrs. Hendricks said, “And your new job. I can only imagine how challenging it’s been for you, doing it all on your own. You should be so proud of yourself.”

  Jenna smiled, touched by the older woman’s sincerity. She had expected to be a bit uncomfortable with Scott’s family, considering she’d been the one responsible for the breakup. They’d been estranged for years. Jenna found Taylor and Scott’s mother to be warm and genuine. She had no trouble seeing where Taylor got her generous spirit and good looks. Virgina Hendricks was still a lovely woman.

  Just then the doorbell sounded and Taylor excused herself. Jenna took the opportunity to offer Mrs. Hendricks condolences over the loss of her husband.

  “Thank you, my dear. I appreciate it.” She patted the seat cushion beside her. “Sit down. Tell me about your classes.”

  Jenna nodded and took the seat. “I’m teaching four classes this term. I must admit, I was a little nervous at first. My classes are going well now that I’ve gained more confidence. I’m enjoying teaching, and my students are learning economics despite their complaints that I give them too much work,” she laughed.

  “Wonderful. I imagine it has been quite a challenge,” the older woman said.

  Jenna smiled. “It has been, but you won’t hear me finding fault. I love the work.”

  Just then Scott appeared at their side. He leaned down and kissed his mother’s cheek. “Hi, Mama. Jenna,” he said, resting his hand on his mother’s shoulder.

  “You’re late,” his mother gently scolded, squeezing his fingers. “What happened?”

  “I was working in the chemistry lab and lost track of time. I already apologized to Taylor.”

  “Lucky for you she has plenty of food. For being late, she should make you clean up,” Mrs. Hendricks teased.

  Jenna dropped her lids, aware of his dark, intense gaze moving over her length to linger on her legs crossed at the knees. Immediately,
she felt at a disadvantage. She rose to her full height.

  Scott laughed. “It wouldn’t be the first time. It’s good to see you, Jenna. You are looking beautiful tonight. How are you?”

  “Well, thank you.” Jenna blinked, suddenly uncomfortable that she had come here with another man. What had seemed like a good idea at the time suddenly felt wrong.

  Just then Jackson joined her, placing a possessive arm around her waist. He kissed her cheek before he said to the much taller man, “Hello, Hendricks. How have you been?”

  The two men shook hands, then Scott introduced his mother. Jenna was growing more uncomfortable with each passing moment, so she asked Mrs. Hendricks if she could get her something from the buffet in the dining room.

  “No, thank you, my dear. Please, you go ahead.” The older woman smiled kindly.

  Not the least bit hungry, Jenna was nevertheless relieved that she could excuse herself and leave the room. She headed for the dining room, not waiting to see if her date kept pace.

  “Oh, my!” Jenna exclaimed when they entered the other room, more for Jackson’s benefit than her own. “Taylor has outdone herself tonight. What a spread.” Indeed, the sideboard and table were brimming with an elegant array of dishes. “Have you tasted Taylor’s stuffed potatoes? Or her prime rib? If you haven’t, you are in for a real treat.”

  Jackson took her hand. When she glanced up at him, he asked pointedly, “Should I ask if I interrupted anything earlier?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You and Scott. It is over, isn’t it?”

  Five

  “That’s ancient history,” was all Jenna managed to get out. She should have expected the inquiry rather than being shocked by it, but things weren’t going as expected.