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before they 'd even left the ground , he 'd been working his phone assigning some security team-apparently he kept one on retainer ?[SEP]to figure out how nancy had tracked them to the airport . |
right now , his dream mixed with the recycled plane oxygen blending the scent of lilah with some kind of pine air freshener ... taking him back to that night at the hospital fundraiser nearly three months ago ... .[SEP]lighted pine trees decorating the sprawling hospital conference room , carlos stirred his sparkling water , refusing anything stronger until the fundraiser finished . |
she smiled at him , leaned toward the person she 'd been speaking to-excusing herself ?[SEP]and walked toward him . |
tonight , with memories of that final , ill-fated christmas in san rinaldo pounding in his head like the unrelenting bullets that had killed his mother , his ears ringing , ringing , ringing , he did n't have the willpower to resist ... .[SEP]five the airplane phone rang and rang and rang , jarring lilah from her dazed stare out the window at the distant mountain peaks below . |
in her arms , he could even let go of his driving need to erase loss and agony from the endless stream of children who needed him , children who he too often failed ... .[SEP]and for all those reasons , he needed to keep himself carefully guarded around this woman . |
but since that evening at the party when he 'd really touched her for the first time , she had n't been able to think of much else except the feel of his hands on her skin ... .[SEP]from the hospital rooftop garden , lilah stared out at the christmas lights twinkling through tacoma 's skyline . |
the warm clamp of her body took him to a level beyond anything he 'd experienced ... beyond anything he would feel again since this was the only night he could have with her ... .[SEP]embers blurring as he stared , carlos rubbed his fingers together , the moisture from lilah 's tears soaking into his skin . |
the window beside him displayed the receding u.s.[SEP]shore as they traveled over a murky view of ocean waters . |
she rubbed the slight curve of her stomach as if she could somehow apologize to her baby for disturbing her-his ?[SEP]slumber as well . |
upsetting to be sure , but somehow she had n't reached the core of what was bothering him , of why he chose to play ... .[SEP]you 're thinking of your mother , maybe ? |
mom , dad , i 'm getting married ... .[SEP]his wedding day was overcast , but he was a man of science , not superstition . |
i mean , wow , to have drinks and shoot the breeze with the latest incarnation of harry connick , jr.[SEP]or michael buble ? |
before act one was complete , he 'd known ... .[SEP]dreams of conrad during that hazy realm of twilight sleep always tormented her the most . |
he slid off her and stood , wearing nothing but his jeans , open and low slung on his hips in a tempting v.[SEP]so do i go get mine and come back , or do we move to the bedroom ? |
her mind swirled with possibilities ... .[SEP]with a final kiss to her forehead , he angled back . |
her slip-on loafers squeaked along the pristine tile floors as she turned to follow dr.[SEP]boothe into the corridor , her tour almost complete . |
folks called him mr.[SEP]wall street , because of his dad and what he did with the stock market . |
but you and i know , it could be so much worse than that ... .[SEP]her voice trailed off . |
class , we need to give mr.[SEP]douglas some breathing room . |
now , let 's get back to the risers , and i 'm sure mr.[SEP]douglas will answer your questions in an orderly fashion since he disrupted our rehearsal . |
she just wanted him ... .[SEP]after they 'd been dating for five months , she 'd feared she was losing him . |
which made them all the more reckless over the following weeks when malcolm had been deliciously determined to figure out exactly how to bring her to that earth-shattering release while buried heart-deep inside her ... .[SEP]celia snuggled deeper under the covers , cocooning herself in memories . |
he was this generation 's harry connick jr.[SEP]and michael buble-times ten . |
behind him , dr.[SEP]rowan boothe , the golden-boy saint of the bunch who devoted his life to saving aids/hiv orphans in africa . |
celia had wanted to die ... .[SEP]well , at least she knew for damn sure she was n't pregnant now . |
hillary , an event planner , was in deep conversation with jayne about a fundraiser in the works for dr.[SEP]boothe 's clinic-where apparently jayne worked , as well . |
she did n't need it all the time , and it had been so long since she 'd reached for an antianxiety pill , she 'd hoped ... dr.[SEP]boothe stretched out his legs , as if in the middle of some casual conversation . |
he knew we did it , but the look on his face was priceless ... .[SEP]malcolm started strumming again , adding his own impromptu score to troy 's tales , but his brain was still stuck on the moment celia asked why elliot 's mother had n't protected him . |
he wanted somewhere to escape the chaos around his l.a.[SEP]home , and this small village called to him . |
it was n't even close to what she wanted for herself ... well , maybe the spa part could stay ... .[SEP]god , she was a mess . |
maybe we can ask that lady with the cart if she 's seen her ... .[SEP]apprehension lifted the hair on the back of mari 's neck . |
if he 'd wanted distance he should have called her dr.[SEP]mandara , but too late to go back . |
her father 's promo guru could n't have planned it better ... .[SEP]had rowan known that when they kissed ? |
she swiped her cell phone off the teak end table and thumbed auto-dial ... two rings later , a familiar voice answered and mari blurted out , papa , we need to talk ... .[SEP]her father 's booming laugh filled the earpiece . |
first , i heard about your affiliation with dr.[SEP]boothe and the baby on the internet . |
the baby was abandoned in dr.[SEP]boothe 's hotel room and we are both watching over her while the authorities try to find her relatives . |
there were even billboards and posters ... .[SEP]all their pals from the military academy-the ones who 'd dubbed themselves the alpha brotherhood-never passed up an opportunity to rib elliot about the underwear ad . |
if even mari and i can work together , then maybe there 's hope ... .[SEP]he winked wryly and laughter rippled through the crowd . |
that 's why you wanted to wait a day to officially announce we 're fostering her ... .[SEP]she whispered softly to herself as they passed a cluster of street carolers . |
you were talking about troy 's computer search ... .[SEP]right- she turned back to mari -and you 're taking care of the baby , rowan . |
she liked to believe she would have realized before it was too late ... .[SEP]before she could complete the thought , rowan returned . |
rowan and this baby were her first deep connections in so long ... .[SEP]and it was tearing her apart to say goodbye to them . |
we will make sure she always knows you have been her guardian angel ... .[SEP]with teary eyes , mari nodded , but said nothing . |
she 's not my child ... .[SEP]mari pressed a hand to her chest , rubbing a wound no less deep for not being visible . |
folks called him mr.[SEP]wall street , because of his dad and how conrad used his trust fund to manipulate the stock market to punish sweatshop businesses . |
i honestly thought you would be staying with dr.[SEP]boothe even though this room was still booked in your name . |
well , then , dr.[SEP]boothe , let 's find somewhere private to go so you can unwrap your christmas present . |
the rush of that evening sang through her memory , the celebration of his win , reminiscing about his first dirt track race , a little wine , too much whimsy , then far too few clothes ... .[SEP]i refuse to regret that night or call our ... encounter ... a mistake since i have eli . |
elliot 's high school alumni pal-dr.[SEP]rowan boothe-was marrying none other than an african princess , who also happened to be a ph.d. research scientist . |
i 'm not sure i understand your plan ... .[SEP]the monastery has been converted into a library . |
seven lucy ann swaddled her son in a fluffy towel after his bath while the nanny , mrs.[SEP]clayworth , placed a fresh diaper and sleeper on the changing table . |
he 'd charmed mrs.[SEP]clayworth , yet asked perceptive questions . |
then the second one came off , too ... .[SEP]her stomach lurched at the memory . |
jordan was the power force behind jefferies ' attempts to one-up garrison inc.[SEP]by any means possible . |
she stared at the clock-2:00 a.m.[SEP]she 'd seen midnight , as well , but must have drifted off . |
she 'd worked at garrison inc.[SEP]as a receptionist . |
the entire estate is to be placed in trust for two years , mr.[SEP]abernathy repeated , directing his words toward kit 's father , holt mcclellan , sr. |
abernathy repeated , directing his words toward kit 's father , holt mcclellan , sr.[SEP]no one-neither you nor your children , nor anyone else for that matter-will be receiving an inheritance any time soon . |
and holt , jr.[SEP]the oldest , looked dazed and drunk . |
one donation in your name , mr.[SEP]mcclellan , and one in the names of each of your children . |
mcclellan asked me to keep the change confidential , mr.[SEP]abernathy said smoothly . |
and frankly , mr.[SEP]mcclellan , it was none of your business . |
what was surprising that mr.[SEP]abernathy would make no secret of his animosity . |
i do n't think i need to remind you , mr.[SEP]mcclellan , the attorney said , that the money was never yours to begin with . |
the second scenario of your wife 's final wishes , mr.[SEP]abernathy continued then , stirring kit from her thoughts , would , at the trust 's expiration in two years , have the family inheriting the entirety of mrs. |
abernathy continued then , stirring kit from her thoughts , would , at the trust 's expiration in two years , have the family inheriting the entirety of mrs.[SEP]mcclellan 's estate . |
well , hell , abernathy , holt , sr.[SEP]said , why did n't you say so in the first place ? |
miss mcclellan , mr.[SEP]abernathy said , dipping his head toward kit , must be married . |
he turned his attention back to the mcclellan men and added , mrs.[SEP]mcclellan also indicated that no one in the family should marry until her daughter does . |
should one of the boys-or you , mr.[SEP]mcclellan , for that matter-marry before miss mcclellan does , then the estate would go to charity . |
for two years , the business and holdings shall continue on as usual , but they and the other assets will be managed by me and my firm , as mrs.[SEP]mcclellan indicated they should be . |
tomorrow he would start his new job as executive vice president in charge of finances at hensley 's distilleries , inc.[SEP]kentucky 's premiere producer of fine bourbon whiskey . |
holt mcclellan , sr.[SEP]the ceo of hensley 's , and the head of the family that had run the distillery for more than a century , was crazy about him . |
as he folded himself into one of thirteen chairs that surrounded the long , mahogany table bisecting the boardroom of hensley 's distilleries , inc.[SEP]the hair on his nape leaped to attention . |
he watched as holt mcclellan , sr.[SEP]ceo , seated himself at the head of the table beside his son , holt mcclellan , jr. |
ceo , seated himself at the head of the table beside his son , holt mcclellan , jr.[SEP]gentlemen , the elder mcclellan said , clearly unconcerned that his greeting excluded the solitary female who sat at the other end . |
beside him , mcclellan , jr.[SEP]grunted something that pendleton assumed was an agreement . |
for now , though , i 've decided to let holt , jr.[SEP]handle them , mcclellan , sr. |
because mcclellan , jr.[SEP]turned to face his father as the other man was making the announcement , his face etched in obvious surprise and consternation . |
in profile , pendleton noted , the two men looked almost exactly alike , save the evidence of the twenty-five or thirty years separating them that mcclellan , sr.[SEP]clearly wore with honor . |
except for mcclellan , jr.[SEP]who was blond , all the executives looked exactly alike . |
of course , pendleton was no expert on genetics-hey , who was ?[SEP]but even he doubted that the odds of this kind of thing occurring were very- pendleton ! |
he flinched at the sound of his name thundering from mcclellan , sr.[SEP]s end of the table . |
now mcclellan , sr.[SEP]nodded as he gave lengthy consideration to the weight of pendleton 's argument . |
the first to follow his own instructions , mcclellan , sr.[SEP]rose from his chair , turned his back on his executives , and disappeared through a door behind him . |
then , with a brief nod toward the other vps , mcclellan , jr.[SEP]followed immediately behind , closing the door with a soft click . |
please come in , mrs.[SEP]mason told him , stepping to the side of the door . |
he glanced at mrs.[SEP]mason in silent question . |
he rolled it between his thumb and forefinger as mcclellan , sr.[SEP]had done upon removing it from the box , then , because he 'd seen james bond perform the gesture in movies , he lifted it to his nose for an idle sniff . |
holt mcclellan , jr.[SEP]stepped in with a flick of what appeared to be-and doubtless was-a solid gold lighter , and pendleton puffed robustly on his robusto with what he hoped was acceptable relish . |
dirk , here , mcclellan , sr.[SEP]continued as he clapped a hand over his son 's shoulder , is a professor of men 's studies at u of l. |
continued as he clapped a hand over his son 's shoulder , is a professor of men 's studies at u of l.[SEP]men 's studies , sir ? |
and also by the snippy tone in the other man 's voice when he assured pendleton , men 's studies is an extremely important part of the liberal arts curriculum at u of l.[SEP]it 's an area of scholarship that 's been sadly neglected for far too long , on campuses across the country . |
and this , mcclellan , sr.[SEP]said as he moved on to the fourth son , is my youngest boy , bart . |
as mcclellan , sr.[SEP]and captain mcclellan moved to the other side of the room in quiet conversation , pendleton considered mcclellan , jr. |
and captain mcclellan moved to the other side of the room in quiet conversation , pendleton considered mcclellan , jr.[SEP]and professor mcclellan again . |
at mcclellan , sr.[SEP]s outburst , pendleton turned to greet what he assumed could only be the mysterious , toothsome miss mcclellan . |
kit smiled at him again before turning toward her father , who had moved to the other side of the room , where he appeared to be caught up in a very important conversation with mcclellan , jr.[SEP]hey , daddy ! |
but holt mcclellan , sr.[SEP]would stop at nothing to save the family fortune , even if it meant finally marrying off his daughter after years of chasing off-or paying off-every man that ever dared come near her . |
back then , hensley 's distilleries , inc.[SEP]was known as old noble 's still up in hoot owl hollow . |