“So that’s the plan,” I said.

“There are a dozen different ways it could fail, and even best case scenario is a long way from perfect. Chase ends up sharing Envisager with a man who’s brilliant at his job, but can barely be trusted in his personal life.” I sighed, looking at their faces. “But he says maybe it’s better to keep him close, at least for the moment, rather than to cut ties altogether. That he might be less destructive, less inclined to be vindictive… if their futures are still linked…”

Reese and Tam had listened silently as I had poured it all out. Amelia had come to lend her support. Tam, most of all, sat wide eyed, working to process everything we’d said. I was relieved to see a sparkle of intrigue in her eyes. Her, most especially of all…

We sat downstairs in the bakery, the air warm and sweet-smelling. For a long moment, the room was still. There was only the ticking of the clock, and the soft sounds of our own breathing…

“Chase has already committed half of his personal income to women’s and children’s charities on an ongoing annual basis,” I went on. “To organizations that fight abuse and trafficking… to others that promote leadership programs for women in the workplace. Sutton doesn’t know it yet, but he’s going to be doing exactly the same thing. Plus Chase is going to force him to cough up every dime he won playing this game. And the company, as a whole, will be giving twenty percent of its profits.”

“Well… Chase knows how to put his money where his mouth is…,” Reese said, with a soft whistle through her teeth. “And he’s owning up to his own share of the blame. But somehow I doubt it’ll be so easy getting Sutton to see the light.”

“To think he spent all those years beating himself up, when Sutton was the one all along…,” Tam chimed in. “I knew what kind of creep that guy was from that first party we catered,” she went on. “I was trying to get started with clean up behind the bar. And he was working the whole seduction scene with me really hard… Up until one of his girlfriends showed up, that is…”

“But you never said anything…,” I began.

“She did to me,” Reese said. “He showed his true colors that night. But since no real harm was done, we just wrote it off as one of those things. At that point, neither of us knew the whole story…”

“But we do know now,” Tam said, a thoughtful look forming on her face. “And I think Chase is right to wonder if he could ever control himself. At least without the right motivation…”

“And that’s where you come in,” Amelia replied. “Where we all come in. Sutton’s underestimated the power of every woman he’s ever exploited. That’s why I made all those phone calls in Chase’s office while he was talking to Sutton. One angry woman is a force all by herself, but a dozen…”

“And that’s why we needed to tell you everything,” I added. “After all, we’re taking this a step further than even Chase knows… And everyone has to decide for herself, whether to support this or not. And there’s no judgement if anyone wants out…

But I’m in,” I said. “I love Chase and I believe in him. And I’m in.”

“Ditto,” Amelia firmly. “I was in the minute I picked up the phone. From the minute my soon-to-be ex cheated on me.”

“Me too,” Reese agreed. She looked at me and smiled. “There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you, Em.” She turned to face Tammy, who looked in turn, from one woman to the next. “A lot of this hinges on you,” Reese said. “We could manage it without you, but…”

Tam smiled. “Are you kidding me?” she asked, laughing. The sound of it broke the remaining tension in the room and there was a soft, communal sigh of relief. “This is a budding journalist’s dream come true… Effing girl-power,” she said, with a grin. She put her hand out and everyone else followed suit. We stood, clasped together like the spokes of a wheel. Strong, determined… United.

“Count me in.”

I locked up after the others left, my head spinning from the events of the day. While I had every confidence in Chase, and that his plan would work, it never hurt to have a back-up. I hoped to hell, we’d never need to use it, but I couldn’t sit by and do nothing. Not only to help the women Sutton had hurt, but because I wanted to protect the man I loved. And I was so incredibly grateful to have the support of my friends. And with so many good women supporting him too, maybe one day, Chase would begin to forgive himself.

It was late and I was long beyond tired. I wanted nothing except a quick shower and bed, but as I climbed up the stairs, I met May on the stairs. With her was a man I’d never seen, older and grey too, but with a quick smile and sharp, dark eyes.

“I’m afraid your grandmother kept us all up past our bedtimes,” May said with a warm smile. “This is my brother, Henry,” she said nodding at the gentleman. “I don’t think you two have ever met… This is Emily.”

He took my hand. “The pleasure’s all mine, Emily,” he said kindly. “Lovely… just like Justine.”

“Henry’s come to stay with me for a while, so he joined us for cards tonight,” May said. “He and Jussy quite it hit it off,” she added discreetly. I blinked and she smiled. “You can catch her if you go right in,” she added. “She said she planned to wait up for you, just a little longer.”

She gave me a dry kiss on the cheek and Henry smiled indulgently as we said goodnight. I opened the door to find Gran fully dressed, and sitting on the living room loveseat. It had been years since I’d last seen either of those things…

“It’s late, Gran,” I said, taking her arm to help her stand. She brushed me off and straightened on her own. But she was smiling and her cheeks were pink. I noticed she had put a touch of powder on her nose and her usually dry lips had a hint of moist color. Tiny pearls bobbed from her ears. She looked… happy…

“I can do for myself,” she said, blinking at me pleasantly. “You’re home earlier than I expected.”

“And you’re up way past your bedtime,” I said with gentle concern. “I met May and her brother in the hall… They didn’t keep you up too late…?”

“Nonsense, she shot back as I followed her to room. “If anything I kept them up. And I won almost every hand,” she bragged. I reached to help her undress and again, she waved me off. She sat down at her dressing table and handed me her hairbrush. I stood behind her, taking out her long braid and working the soft bristles through her thin locks. She took off her pearls and watched my reflection in the mirror.

“I wasn’t sure if I’d see you tonight,” she began. She watched me as I caught her gaze. “I was hoping we’d have the chance to finish our little talk. At my age, it doesn’t pay to put things off… any longer than I already have.” I continued to brush, waiting. I’d never seen her like this, never heard her like this. I barely dared to breathe, for fear that she wouldn’t go on…

“I was in love once,” she said, a dreamy quality to her voice. “So long ago, I’d nearly forgotten. Something about your young man reminded me, I think. The look in his eyes when he said your name… that wonderful feeling of being young and alive, and having everything still ahead of you.”

“I know how hard it was for you when Gramps died,” I said. “My mom and dad too… You had to raise me like your own…”

“I’m not speaking about your grandfather, dear,” she said softly. My hand stopped. “This isn’t about loss, although I did love him very much. What I’d forgotten is what falling in love feels like.

I met him before I ever knew your grandfather, Emily. I was young… only sixteen years old. But I felt about him the way you feel about your Mr. Chase. And he loved me too. I recognized the look when your young man came here to see me. My Robert was tall and handsome too. And I would have given anything to have spent my life loving him…”

“What… what happened, Gran…?” It came out a whisper, I was so afraid of breaking the spell. She had opened up to me… she was sharing her heart with me…

“Papa didn’t approve,” she said quietly. “He was poor, and Papa said his prospects were even poorer.” She sighed heavily. “In those days, a girl didn’t make such decisions for herself. My parents forbade me to see him again, and I was introduced to your grandfather We were married after only a month. But the leaves had started to turn the day Robert and I said goodbye and every year since those colors came again, to remind me of everything I had wanted… and everything I had lost…

But I didn’t spend too much time looking backward… it was just too painful. I lived my life and did my duty as a wife,” she said. “And I did grow to love your grandfather very much. I want you to know that.” She looked into the mirror, into the reflection of my face. My hand rested softly on her shoulder and she touched it with hers.

“But I’ve also lived long enough to understand, that after all these years, my feelings for Robert never really died. And even now, an entire lifetime too late, I can’t help but wonder

… what might have been…”