The next morning, Josh sat on the 7 train as it rumbled through the darkened tunnels below Manhattan, then blasted up into the dazzling sunshine of the elevated tracks as they crossed the bridge into Queens.

He joined Lily and her husband Herman for Saturday breakfast at least once a month, but this was his first visit since returning from his summer abroad. Somehow, over the past few years, the standing breakfast invitation had become an opportunity for Lily to check up on him, their roles reversed as his little sister became the protective one. She worried about him, and their mom only added fuel to Lily’s fire. Between the two of them, he’d never have a moment’s peace until he was happily married.

There was only one problem with that scenario.

He sighed. Much as he dreaded the conversation, telling them about his dinner with Kate was the easiest way to get them off his back about dating.

The thing was, he was fairly sure Lily was a fan of Katherine Hayes. In fact, he thought Lily had even attended one of Kate’s concerts a few years ago. It should make for an interesting conversation at the breakfast table.

Lily answered the door, her dark hair tucked behind her ears. She wore jeans and a green top, her feet bare against the carpet. With a big smile, she threw her arms around his neck. “It’s so good to see you.”

“You too, Lil,” he said as he hugged her back.

She motioned him inside and closed the door behind him. “Mom and Dad bailed. Dad’s giving a speech at a library fundraiser tonight, and Herman’s out of town. He got stuck with this awful Monday-morning meeting that couldn’t be rescheduled. I hate when he’s gone on the weekend.”

Herman was a buyer for a large furniture importer in the area, and several times a year he had to fly out to California to oversee business on the West Coast.

“That’s too bad.”

“I’m on call this weekend anyway, so I’ll probably end up working most of it myself,” she said with a shrug. “Anyway, just you and me for breakfast.”

“More food for both of us?”

Lily grinned. “Exactly. Come tell me about your summer.”

“Long. Hot. Spanish.” He summarized his trip as he followed her toward the kitchen, where the smell of bacon and pancakes had his stomach growling in anticipation.

Lily rolled her eyes. “Wow, I’m drowning in the details.”

“So have I missed anything around here?”

“Oh, not much, just…this.” She turned to press something into his hand.

Josh looked down at the blurry black-and-white photo on his palm. An ultrasound photo. His head snapped up, and he saw the giddy grin on his sister’s face. “You’re pregnant?”

She nodded, beaming.

“Holy shit. Congratulations!” He grabbed her in an impulsive hug.

“Thanks. Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but we wanted to do it in person. Herman’s so bummed he couldn’t be here.”

“Hey, no problem. When are you due?”

“March first. I’m twelve weeks.”

Josh rocked back on his heels, still smiling. “I’m going to be an uncle.”

“Yup.” Lily picked up a spatula to stir the eggs.

“How’s it going so far? Morning sickness?”

“Not too bad. It’s getting better now that I’m almost out of the first trimester. A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been in here cooking eggs.” She scrunched up her face.

“Give me that.” He made a grab for the spatula, but she pushed him away. She scooped the eggs onto a serving plate and placed it on the island with the pancakes and bacon he’d smelled from the living room. “Well, your news is going to make you dislike my news even more.”

Lily turned to face him. “What news is that?”

“I’ve accepted a year-long sabbatical teaching at the University of Valencia.”

She jabbed the spatula at him. “You’re spending an entire year in Spain?”

“It’s a great opportunity. I couldn’t pass it up.”

“Or the chance to get away from your meddling family for a whole year.” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“That’s not fair.” Except it was, and right now—knowing he had a niece or nephew on the way—he felt guilty as hell.

“Doesn’t mean it isn't true.”

He looked at his sneakers. “I need this. Maybe this is my way of moving on.”

Lily walked around the island and handed him a plate. “Speaking of moving on, I think I’ve finally found the perfect girl to set you up with. She goes to my gym. Her name’s Heather. She’s an elementary school teacher at—”

“Nope.” He shook his head as he plucked a pancake with his fork.

“Josh, it’s been two years…” Her eyes softened. They’d had this same conversation more times than he could count. Today, it would go a little differently.

He took his plate and sat at the kitchen table. “I know how long it’s been.”

“So…” Lily joined him, her plate noticeably free of eggs.

“You didn’t have to cook eggs for me if you don’t like them right now.”

“The smell doesn’t bother me. They just don’t look appetizing.” She pointed her fork in his direction. “And you’re changing the subject.”

“So, the point is, I may not need your help after all.” He drizzled syrup over his pancakes and took a big bite.

“What?” Her brow wrinkled, then her eyes widened. “You mean…did you meet someone?”

“As a matter of fact.”

Lily’s mouth fell open.

He would have enjoyed the moment a hell of a lot more if he could have left it there. He didn’t understand what it was with women that they had to know every detail about private things, and for him, dating was private.

She pursed her lips. “Wait, does she live in Spain?”

“Nope, right here in New York.”

“Well, then.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. “This is fascinating news. How did you meet?”

“We met in Central Park. I helped her out when her dog got tangled up on one of those boulders near Empire Rock.”

“That sounds like you.” She took a bite of her pancake. “Tell me about her. What’s her name? What does she do for a living?”

“That’s the interesting part.” He cleared his throat. “She’s, ah…Katherine Hayes. I think you already know what she does for a living.”

Lily stared, then shook her head as though she’d misunderstood. “Come again?”

“Katherine Hayes. The woman I met is Katherine Hayes.”

“As in, ‘I Wish,’ number-one single on the charts, performed on the Today show yesterday, best-selling female artist of the decade?” Her eyes were as round as the pancakes on her breakfast plate.

“That’s the one.”

“Josh, it’s not nice to play jokes on your pregnant sister. I have hormones now, remember? Be serious.”

“I am. She goes by Kate, has two little white dogs named Ben and Jerry, and lives in a massive condo on Central Park West. Blue eyes, blonde hair, about five foot six. Any of this ring a bell?”

Lily dropped her fork. It clattered to the floor, and she made no move to retrieve it. “You’re serious. You went on a date with Katherine Hayes?”

“Dinner. The date part is a bit up in the air.”

“Oh my God. ‘She lives in a massive condo on Central Park West,’” she quoted him. “Does that mean you’ve been inside her condo?”

“I have, but—”

“Jesus Christ. You go two years without so much as a date, and whoa—”

“Settle down. It was just dinner.”

“Dinner with a superstar, and she took you home afterward. Did you—”

“Of course not.” And even if he had hooked up with Kate, he sure as hell wouldn’t tell his sister about it.

“Mom’s gonna freak!”

“Probably,” he agreed.

“Well, tell me everything. What is she like? What was she wearing? Did you tell her about me?” Lily leaned forward, her eyes gleaming.

“I plead the fifth, and no, your name didn’t come up.”

“You’re no fun. Did you see her Grammys? Does she keep them in her living room?”

“No, I didn’t see her Grammys. I imagine she keeps that stuff at her house in LA. I get the impression she spends a lot more time there than she does here in New York.”

“My brother and Katherine Hayes.” She shook her head. “So there will be a second date? At which time you might mention the possibility of hanging out with your supercool sister?”

“We’re having coffee this afternoon. I don’t know if that’s technically a date. The whole thing is…complicated.” Truthfully, he had no intention of dating Katherine Hayes. There were moments when he felt completely smitten with her: her beautiful smile, the musical way her voice lilted when she laughed. There was no denying that he was attracted to her.

But the whole thing was ridiculous. He would never date a pop star. She wouldn’t have even suggested coffee if he hadn’t stumbled into her family drama last night. Leave it to him to get himself tied up in something like this. Not a casual date with a nice girl to get his feet wet. No, he had to tumble headfirst into the crazy world of Katherine Hayes.

“You know I’m just teasing,” Lily said. “I’m happy for you. You deserve to be happy too, you know.”

“Well, we’ll see. But I did go out, and that has to release me from all talk of blind dates through at least the end of the year.”

She laughed. “Deal. But watch out come January, unless, of course, you and Katherine are still going strong.”

“We’ll see about that.”

Her face softened, and she placed a hand over Josh’s. “Does she know?”

“About Noelia?”

Lily nodded, her brown eyes crinkled with concern.

“No, Lil. That’s not usually something that comes up on a first date.”

“I know. But it’s also a huge part of who you are, so don’t keep it to yourself for too long, okay?”

“I won’t, but I really don’t see this going that far.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You deserve a family too.”

Josh smarted at her words. A family was once something he’d taken for granted, something he rarely thought of anymore, but the joy on Lily’s face made him aware all over again of everything he’d lost. He stared at his plate.

She rested a hand on his shoulder. “You know I love Katherine Hayes, and you dating her is beyond cool, but she’s pretty high profile. Especially now with this nude photo scandal. I mean, have you thought about seeing your face in a tabloid?”

Josh sat back, his chest uncomfortably tight as last night’s paparazzi disaster replayed in his head. He’d been photographed arm in arm with Katherine Hayes, entering her building. He didn’t like the idea of that winding up in a tabloid, not at all.

“Just be careful, that’s all.”

“I will be.” He’d allowed his libido to cloud his judgment in agreeing to see Kate again today, but his eyes were open now. His dad, Tom Randall, was campaigning for mayor in Umbridge, Massachusetts, where he currently served as police chief. He’d hinted about wanting Josh and Lily around on weekends to show off his family, about the increased scrutiny the family would be under during his campaign. The last thing his dad needed was to have Josh connected to a pop star in the middle of a nude photo scandal.

Never mind his students catching wind of it. The very idea of them having any knowledge of his dating life made his skin crawl, let alone the fascination that would no doubt ensue if they found out their Spanish professor was dating their favorite singer.

Josh didn’t need his face in a tabloid, period.

---

Kate struggled through the morning. An impromptu powwow had been called with Jenn, Harry, and Vero. The nude photos had been yanked from the internet thanks to the threat of legal action, although who knew how many perverts had copies already downloaded on their computers and cell phones. Fake or not, the thought made Kate sick to her stomach. But there was nothing else she could do about it, so it was time to move on to the next crisis: Lori Booth.

“Katie!” Veronica Padrón swept into the room. Her dark hair was tied in a neat twist at the nape of her neck. She wore a teal skirt and purple blouse, accented by ample colorful bangles adorning her wrists and neck. Kate assumed her flashy style was compensation for the fact that Hollywood’s top publicist was barely larger than a Barbie doll.

She stood. “Vero.”

Harry followed in Vero’s wake, hands thrust into his pockets, his expression pensive. Jenn skirted around them both to set a tray containing a pitcher of ice water, finger sandwiches, and an assortment of fruit on the coffee table.

“I gotta say, Katie, this is the busiest you’ve ever kept me,” Vero said in her husky voice. “Nude photos and a long-lost sister all in one week? What’s next?”

Kate poured a glass of water, then returned to her seat. “Hopefully back to business as usual.”

Harry and Vero sat on opposite ends of the couch across from her, while Jenn settled into the armchair to her left, ready with her iPad to research and take notes.

“So far, Lori Booth checks out,” Jenn said as her fingers flew over her iPad. “Wade Rynes is listed as her father on her birth certificate, and I’ve got an obituary from the August tenth edition of the Herald Sun for one Wade Arnold Rynes, beloved father and uncle. No mention of a wife.”

Kate’s heart stumbled in her chest. So, it was true. Her dad was dead.

“Lori’s the only child mentioned in the obituary.” Jenn glanced at Kate apologetically.

She nodded, gulping air to combat the painful tightening in her chest.

“Well, this has all the workings of an emotional TV reunion,” Vero said.

Kate stiffened. “Absolutely not.”

“It would bring great ratings, but we’ll talk about it once the test results are in,” Vero said. “Let’s try to keep Lori under wraps until then. Offer her whatever she wants to keep quiet. We don’t want you publicly embarrassed if she turns out to be a fraud.”

Harry nodded. “We’ll do whatever’s necessary to smooth it over.”

It was all so matter-of-fact. Harry discussed legal technicalities while Kate stared at the wildly inappropriate selection of daisies on the coffee table before her. Red, pink, yellow…brilliant, vibrant colors. Couldn’t someone have changed them out for lilies or roses? Her eyes stung, and she took a drink of water to cover the moment.

Where were these emotions coming from? She didn’t even remember her father. She couldn’t mourn him if she didn’t know him, could she? Only in her incredibly screwed-up life would the death of her father warrant a business meeting. A few details to hammer out, and then life went on.

“Oh, and Katie?” Vero’s voice yanked her back to the present. “Try not to let something like this happen again, okay?” She slapped a copy of the Enquirer on the table, headlined by a photo of a smiling Kate, arms extended as she appeared to hold nude enlargements of herself toward the row of fans before her.

“Oh, for crying out loud.” Kate lurched from her seat. The photo had been taken in Central Park on Thursday, and it was ridiculously misleading.

“That was uncalled for, Vero,” Harry said.

“Sorry, but it looks like—”

“I know what it looks like.” Kate walked to the window. “Look, if you guys are finished here, I need to get ready for my run.”

Vero stood and faced her. “One more thing. Who’s the guy?”

Harry’s eyebrows lifted, and Jenn grinned.

Kate rubbed her neck, keeping her face impassive. “What guy?”

“The one you brought home last night. I’ve had a half-dozen requests for his name already this morning.”

“No comment.”

Vero’s expression sharpened. “Why? Who is he? If this is something scandalous…”

Kate shook her head. “It’s not scandalous. He’s just not the kind of guy who’d appreciate having his name printed in the tabloids.”

Vero cocked her head. “Interesting.”

They were all staring at her.

“Not really. Look, I really do need to get ready for my run…”

“So who is he?” Vero asked again.

Kate sighed. “Josh Randall. He teaches at Columbia. Jenn’s already checked him out. He’s legit and completely unscandalous, and his name doesn’t get printed. Okay?”

Vero tapped a finger against her lips. “Hmm, this could be good.”

“Excuse me?”

“You and the college professor. You’ve lost a bit of your ‘girl next door’ appeal lately, Katie. What with the Hollywood boyfriends, famous friends, a nude photo scandal… It could be good to be seen around town with an everyday guy.”

Kate bit her tongue against the desire to tell Vero where she could shove her dating advice. After all, her publicist was only doing her job. Kate just wasn’t used to having her dating decisions analyzed so closely. Probably because her usual dates had a Hollywood pedigree as long as the red carpets they were so fond of showing her off on.

After Jenn and Harry departed for their hotels, and Vero to the airport to return to LA, Mick accompanied Kate on her morning run through Central Park. She sweated out a solid five miles, burning anger and frustration as her feet pounded the pavement. By the time she’d showered and eaten a late lunch, it was almost time to meet Josh. First, though, she sat down to write a message to her fans, explaining that the photos were fake and how sorry she was about the whole thing. When she’d finished, she sent it to Jenn to put it up on her website.

She glanced at the clock, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips in anticipation of seeing Josh. She pocketed her phone and clipped leashes on Ben and Jerry. They hadn’t exactly behaved last time—and they certainly didn’t help her fly under the radar—but she’d feel like a traitor going to the park without them. She headed out the back, thankful it was again clear of paparazzi.

Josh was already there, seated on the hollowed rock, two cups from Olive’s on the grass in front of him. He wore jeans with a red knit pullover, and her heart jumped at the sight of him.

“Hi,” she said as she dropped down beside him. She hadn’t meant to sit quite so close, but the curve of the rock dictated that she sit with her left leg brushing against his right.

He turned toward her, and their shoulders bumped. “Hey, yourself.”

Oh yeah, this rock was cozy. She could’ve pulled back, but she didn’t. Neither did he. His eyes met hers, so close she could see the green flecks mixed with gold in his irises.

A warm tingle spread through her belly. Apparently, her hormones had shifted from cosmetically enhanced actors to ruggedly handsome scholars. Go figure. Never missing a chance to ruin the moment, Ben and Jerry wiggled their way into her lap and popped up between her and Josh, fluffy tails wagging.

“I knew I would regret bringing them.” She scooted them off her lap. They yapped their displeasure before settling down at her side to people-watch in the warm sunshine.

“Ah, the troublesome duo.” Josh handed her one of the cups.

“Thank you.” She took a long sip.

“So how does Katherine Hayes spend a Saturday morning? Shopping at Tiffany’s? The spa? Another live concert performance?”

A smile quirked the corner of her mouth. “Are we talking about me in the third person now?”

“Katherine Hayes the superstar still doesn’t seem like the same Kate I’m sitting here with. I’m trying to merge you together in my mind.”

“One and the same, and I spent my Saturday morning in a business meeting.”

“That’s not very glamorous.”

“I never said my life was glamorous.” She glanced over at him. “I get what you’re saying, though, and I’m sorry about Bóheme. The plain truth is, I’ve never really dated outside the business, and I didn’t think about what it would be like for you there. This”—she gestured to the park around them—“is as much a part of who I am as the superstar stuff.”

Josh sipped his coffee. “You’re just Kate to me, but my sister blew a gasket when I told her about you. It was a reality check, I guess.”

“Well, if you’re going to hang out with me, you’ll have to get used to it.” She couldn’t help the niggling suspicion over what else he might have shared with his sister. She was fairly certain he meant well, but he had no clue how her world operated, and she had spilled way too much information last night.

“Don’t worry, I only told her we’d been to dinner. I have no intention of betraying your trust.” He spoke as if he’d read her mind, and she heaved an internal sigh of relief.

“Thank you. I know it’s probably hard to believe, given my career choice, but I’m a pretty private person.”

Josh raised an eyebrow.

“When I’m out in public, anything’s fair game. But behind closed doors, family stuff, that’s personal.”

“Fair enough.”

“Which is why, for the record, I asked my publicist to keep your name out of the papers.”

He sat up straight and gave her a hard look. “My name?”

“The media’s curious after we were photographed together last night.” She sipped her cappuccino. “Anyway, the tabloids see what they want to see. Some of it’s true. Plenty of it isn’t.”

“The nude photos?” he asked.

“Fake.”

“Really?”

She nodded. “You look surprised. I’ve worked hard to build a career I can be proud of and set a positive example.”

“That’s more than I can say for some of your peers.”

“A lot of young girls look up to me. I don’t take that lightly.” She knew what it was like to be young and impressionable, without a proper role model. To grow up with a mother who defined herself by men and sex. A mother who thought Kate was nothing but a whore. She’d spent the last twelve years proving her wrong. “I try to portray myself honestly in the media, but this business with Lori is between us. I have a trustworthy team, but even so, it’s hard to keep anything personal.”

Josh looked into her eyes. “And you’re worried I’ll sell you out.”

“Not intentionally, but even a casual conversation over a couple of beers can wind up splashed all over the internet.”

He held her gaze, his eyes steady and earnest. “In case you haven’t noticed, I’m a private person myself. You have my word.”

“Thank you.” And he brought up an interesting point. Besides his profession, she knew very little about Josh.

“You’re welcome. Any more run-ins with Lori? She was still out there when I left, and not looking too happy.”

“Harry, my manager, came over and talked to her last night. We’re meeting on Monday to do a DNA test. He is dead…my father. He died about a month ago.” She stared at the cup in her hands.

“I’m sorry.” He placed a hand over hers. “It must be hard, even though you didn’t know him well.”

She picked at the edge of the cup’s lid. “You know, I grew up basically hating him for abandoning us, but I guess a tiny part of me always wondered if he’d come back with some ridiculous but plausible explanation for where he’s been for the last twenty-seven years.”

“What about your mom? How’s she taking it?” His fingers threaded with hers.

“I don’t know. We’re estranged.” She kept her voice flat.

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. It’s ancient history.”

“Well, I’m sure your dad was proud to see everything you’ve accomplished.”

“I doubt he knew. I changed my name when I moved to New York.” Kate bit her lip. What was it about Josh that had her spilling her guts?

“Well, I think it’s natural for you to grieve, even if you didn’t have a relationship with him.”

“I guess.” She looked over and saw the empathy on his face.

He squeezed her hand. “He was your father.”

She nodded, her throat gone tight.

“How did he die?”

“A car accident. He was driving drunk.” She shook her head. It pretty much confirmed that she hadn’t missed out on much by not having him in her life.

Josh watched her, his eyes dark. Their shoulders bumped again, and his fingers tightened on hers.

“Thank you for asking about him.” She felt lighter somehow, now that he’d allowed her to vent the feelings she’d been choking on all morning.

“You’re welcome.”

She glanced up, and their eyes locked. There it was again, the tingle that snaked down her spine and spread warmth through her belly. If she wasn’t mistaken, Josh was breathing faster than he had been a few minutes before. Her own pulse jumped in response. The entire left side of her body was pressed against his, and his warmth soaked through her jeans and sweater. Butterflies of anticipation fluttered in her stomach.

He leaned back. “I should probably get going.”

“Oh. Okay.” She pulled Jerry into her lap and curled her fingers into his soft fur.

“If the thing with Lori makes it into the papers, it didn’t come from me. You have my word.” He was saying goodbye. For good.

Which was fine, because she trusted him now not to break her confidence about Lori, except that it wasn’t fine, because she wasn’t ready to say goodbye. Not yet. “I believe you. And I really am sorry about Bóheme. It would have been more fun to do something casual. I could have even gone incognito for you.”

He grinned. “Incognito? I doubt it.”

“You think I can’t blend in?”

“You blend in like a supermodel at a nun convention.”

She narrowed her eyes. “Have you forgotten how we met?”

“I don’t think I’m a good example of the general population.”

She scrambled to her feet and planted her hands on her hips. “Wanna bet?”

His cheek twitched as if fighting a smile. “What do you propose?”

“Dinner. Say, Wednesday night? This time, you pick the place. Meal’s on me if I make it through dinner without being recognized.”

He took her hand and gave it a firm shake. “You’re on.”

What was it about this guy? She’d been holding back tears all morning, and now she was fighting the urge to double over in laughter. She took a couple of steps toward the path, then turned and glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, and Josh? I’m very competitive.”

His eyes twinkled. “And Kate? I never let a woman pay for dinner.”