"Hello, Curtis. "

His jaw tightened and he shifted his nephew against his shoulder. "Simone. You1 look nice. "

She kept her eyes on him. This was something she 'd been trained to do. If she could pique his interest long enough she 'd have power over the conversation and he would be compelled to need her, and that was just what she wanted from him.

The silence in the hallway had become strained and awkward. Zach pushed his way between them and took his son from his brother-in-law. "C 'mon, big man, let 's see what grandma has for you. "

Regan followed her husband leaving Simone alone with the man she 'd come back to America for. The very man, who now looked at her and made her want to run in the other direction. Things were not as they were when she 'd left him that sunny morning. No, he hated her now.

Curtis crossed his arms over his chest. "I didn 't know you 'd be coming tonight. " His voice dripped with disdain for her.

She gave a slight tilt to her head, which she knew showed off her best side. "Zach thought it would be rude to leave me at home. "

"Great. " Curtis turned to walk away.

"Curtis. " She let his name float on the seductive air of her voice. He stopped and turned back to her. "I want to be friends. "

"Sure. As long as you 're visiting we can be friends, " he said through gritted teeth.

Simone pursed her lips. "I am not visiting. I will be living here now. "

He stepped closer to her, his eyes narrowed defensively. "Living here? As in living with Zach? Here in Nashville? "

She dropped her shoulders. "Yes. In my own place, but yes, that is what I mean. "

He gave a slow, deep nod. "I 'm sure that makes him very happy to know you 'll be nearby. I 'll bet Benson, Benson, and Hart has a cushy penthouse apartment in some new building that will suite you just fine. "

She watched him walk away from her. He didn 't care that she 'd come back to the states for good. He thought she was just some spoiled brat, which she couldn 't argue with.

Clenching her fists into balls until her nails dug into her palms, she fought back tears that threatened to weaken her facade. Nothing was going the way she 'd hoped.

Simone followed the1 sounds of the family to the kitchen. Emily and Clara chopped vegetables at the counter. Madeline stirred the sauce in the pot on the stove. Regan nursed Tyler at the table and shared a laugh with a strikingly beautiful blonde.

Regan noticed her standing in the doorway. "Simone, this is Cynthia. " She nodded toward the woman next to her.

Cynthia stood and Simone knew protocol. She walked toward her, head high, shoulders back, fake smile pressed on her lips. "Cynthia, it is a pleasure to meet you. "

"Oh, you 're the French gal, " she said with enthusiasm and wide eyes the moment she 'd heard Simone 's voice. "Curtis told me ‘bout you. "

She was surprised the woman was smiling. Curtis couldn 't have shared anything good about her. She 'd seen the look in his eyes when she walked in the door.

Cynthia was obviously native to Nashville. Perhaps she was a neighbor he 'd grown up with. Someone who might have been at Carlos 's wedding, she hoped.

Carlos and Curtis both walked through the door to the kitchen, each with a beer in their hand.

Carlos stepped in behind his wife and wrapped his arms around her waist. He placed a kiss on her neck and Simone watched her lean back against him.

"Whose winning the game? " Madeline asked on a sigh.

"Dunno. Don 't care. " He kissed her again.

Curtis didn 't say a word as he walked past Simone and stood behind Cynthia. He placed his hand on her waist and just as Carlos had done to his wife, and lingered kiss on her neck, just above her collar bone. Cynthia laughed and shrugged him off, but a sharp pain hit Simone in the chest. She knew what that felt like to have his lips pressed to her skin.

Curtis pulled from his beer and nodded in Simone 's direction. "You two met? "

Cynthia elbowed him in the gut. "Yes. At least your sister has some manners. "

Regan propped Tyler up on her shoulder and patted his back. "Simone, come sit with us. "

At that very moment she wasn 't sure she could. Her legs had stiffened and her stomach churned. She 'd be damned if she 'd show weakness in front of him, even if she did want to run to the bathroom and throw up the very little bit that she 'd been able to eat at lunch.

With the grace she 'd been trained to have, she took a seat next to Regan.

Tyler had quickly fallen asleep on his mother 's shoulder and Regan rubbed his back. "Simone, will you hold him? I need to fix my shirt. "

There was no time to say no. Regan lifted him from her shoulder and handed the sleeping baby to Simone. The only option was to place him against her shoulder, just as Regan had done.

Curtis knew Cynthia had felt him tense beside her, but she didn 't call him on it. Not yet. But he couldn 't help the feeling that had washed over him when Simone cradled Tyler to her shoulder. It was completely unnatural, but at the same time, there was a peace to her he 'd never seen. He wasn 't even sure she knew she 'd kissed the top of his head and closed her eyes.

Clara dropped a spoon as she carried silverware to the table and that seemed to snap him from his lock on Simone, but not before she raised her eyes and caught his stare.

Damn. What had that woman done to his heart?

Regan stood from her seat. "Oh, Clara, let me help you. If this family gets any bigger we 'll have to rent a banquet hall. "

Emily shook a finger in the air. "I have four grandkids and four children. I should have many more grandkids than I already do. "

Curtis felt the heat on his back begin to rise. "I 'm going to step outside and get some air. " He looked down at Cynthia. "C 'mon. "

The look she shot back at him said he 'd be due for a fight later, but she followed him out the back door.

As soon as the door was closed she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him. "You 're sure bossy tonight. That little French things got you all giddy. "

"That little French thing? God, you 're as bad as everyone else. " He raked his fingers through his hair.

"What was with your reaction to her holding the baby? I 'd think you 're getting sentimental on me, Keller. "

He didn 't like her tone. He didn 't like his reaction. There was always one way to fight a fire, with another fire.