Zach would have to know these things. She had to confide in him. She had to…

She opened her mouth to speak, to tell him everything that had happened to her before she’d fallen onto his lap. But she thought better of it and closed her mouth.

Zach touched her face gently. “What were you going to say?”

“Nothing,” she said and cuddled closer to him. She was a coward.

Regan’s family chose to travel to New York together. However, they kept it a secret from Arianna. Regan knew when she saw them all she’d flood them with tears. Though she was a professional, there was no reason to tempt her fate as an actress. As far as she knew, only Regan and Zach would be there to see her debut.

“You look beautiful, Mama.” Regan kissed her mother in the lobby of the theater, then she turned to her father and kissed him too. “And don’t you clean up good?”

“You brought him with you?” he asked softly in her ear as his gaze transferred to Zach, who stood at the bar.

“Yes, I brought him.”

Alan Keller nodded his head, keeping his lips close to his daughter’s ear. “He’s treating you okay? Everything is okay with you working with him?” And there was the hesitation she’d known would arrive.

“We’re doing fine, Daddy.” She moved even closer to him where no one could hear. “I love him.”

He kissed her cheek, and she knew he already understood how she felt.

“I’m going to get your mama a drink,” he said with a wink. He took Emily’s arm and walked across the lobby to the bar.

“I find it amazing that there hasn’t been one murmur of an affair on the job site,” Carlos whispered as he moved to her side.

“Oh, Carlos.” She gritted her teeth. She was tiring of the inquisition even if she understood their concern.

“Hey, I know he makes you happy. I live on the couch.” He raised his eyebrows, and heat rose in her cheeks. “They’re just worried about you. You can’t blame them.”

She turned sharply. “Listen, I love the man. I can’t help myself. But he knows nothing of what I’ve gone through.”

“You can’t keep that from him if you plan to make this work.”

“Maybe not, but it’s too early.” She felt tears forming in her eyes as Curtis walked up to them. “You all have to help me keep my secrets. And you all have to trust me that I know what I’m doing.”

“I ran into his mother at the hospital last week,” Curtis said softly. “She’s got high hopes for the two of you.”

“I’ve heard.” She gripped the clutch in her hands tighter.

“Are you ready for that? The Bensons don’t exactly fly under the media’s radar. What about Alexander?”

“What about him? He tossed me to the curb. He’s no threat to me anymore,” she said, but last week’s lunch meeting in Dallas had renewed the doubt in her mind. Was Rebecca still in contact with him? Had she recognized Regan, and if she had, would she say something to Alexander? Her knees felt weak beneath her. She straightened her shoulders and tried to push away the feeling of fear, which was always so quick to take over.

“Okay, what about the…” When Regan threatened him with her stare, he stopped. “Fine, but you know Alexander and Zach run in the same circles. With wealth and power like the Bensons have, your paths are sure to cross.”

Leave it to Curtis to turn over every rock. No. There was no need to get worked up over it. She had regained her life by sheer determination. Alexander Hamilton could no longer do her harm.

When Regan saw Zach walk toward her with a glass of wine, she stepped back from the tight circle she and her brothers had made.

Zach handed her the glass. “I love New York. So many wonderful buildings.”

Curtis gave him a nod. “How many of them have had a sign with your name out front?”

“More than I know.” Zach gave a self-deprecatory shrug. “My grandfather was partial to New York.”

“Makes for a nice trust fund,” Carlos added, and Regan jabbed his ribs with her elbow. “Hey!”

The lights in the lobby flashed, and the crowd that lingered scurried toward the theater doors to take their seats.

Zach touched the small of her back as they walked through the door. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. I guess that since you don’t have any, you wouldn’t know how nosy and pushy they can be. They mean well, though.”

“You forget, I don’t have brothers or sisters, but I do have my mother. I know nosy and pushy.” He gave her back a warm rub. “They’re that way because they love us. No matter how crazy they make us.”

After the performance, Arianna had arranged for Regan and Zach to visit her backstage. Regan tapped on the dressing room door and heard her sister’s voice giving her permission to enter the room.

“I’ll be out in a moment. I’m changing. But I’m decent, so Zach can come in.” Her voice was muffled behind a screen and racks of costumes.

“You’re sure you’re decent enough?” She held in a laugh as she motioned for the family to enter.

“God, I’m not a prude.”

Regan looked around the room. Props and costumes from tonight’s show filled every corner. It had all moved so effortlessly, she’d never realized that her sister had changed so many times.

Bouquets of roses and other flower arrangements filled her counter. They gave a feminine smell to the room that also smelled like hot, sweaty bodies—an odor she was sure was from the heavy costumes her sister must have sweltered in.

“That’s better.” Arianna pulled her robe closed and tied her hair in a tail atop her head before she turned and noticed her entire family standing before her. She let out a scream of joy. “Oh, God!” She pulled the crowd into her arms and kissed each of them.

“Mama, Papa, I didn’t know you were coming.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “But thank God I didn’t know. I’d have forgotten every line.”

“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” Alan kissed her, and Emily dabbed at her eyes.

“Carlos, the kids. This is your weekend. You said…”

“I lied. I was coming all along.” He kissed her and held her face in his hands. “You are amazing.”