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Ty was by the fireplace, a shoulder leaning against the wooden lass of bourbon and water Reclining on the age-softened leather couch, Tara held her wineglass by its stem and swirled the fine port it held Dressed in a black cash slacks, she wore her hair down in a softly ru that never left her finger, her only other concession to jewelry was a strand of baroque pearls interspersed with long onyx beads She fingered theaze strayed to the map on the wall, only half interested in Noah’s discourse on the merits of some new coolant system

“It costsrun I have soet the-back chair in front of the desk “That way you can look theo that route”

As he exited the den, Jessy walked in, a twin on each hip “We just finished our baths I thought ould coht before we headed off to bed”

Young, dark-haired Trey spotted his father by the fireplace and i excitedly, “Da da da da”

Leaving his drink glass on thetoddler frolass onto the coffee table and glided across the rooirl

“Aren’t you the precious one” Tara lifted the child into her arolden curls”

But little Laura had eyes only for one thing—the pearls around Tara’s neck Her fingers fastened around thereedy quickness

“Laura, no” But Jessy’s protest came too late

Tara laughed “It’s all right,” she insisted and cooed to the child, “It’s a sirl who knows her jewelry”

“Maybe, but she’s teething” Jessy stepped forward to rescue the necklace froet them in her mo

uth “I better take her,” Jessy said after she rasp When Laura was safely in her arized, “I’m sorry I should have warned you”

“No harrows up, she can brag that she cut her teeth on pearls”

Unimpressed, Jessy smiled a nonanswer “Come on, Trey” She reached for her son “Time for bed”

“Wait” Tara held up a detaining hand “Before you go, I just want to thank you—all of you”—she included Chase in her sweeping glance—“for lettingfor all this”

Jessy couldn’t recall being given a choice, but she refrained fro so