HER SECRET 18

‘Aw, Mom.’

‘And you and Luke were probably up most of the night too, weren’t you?’

‘I’m not tired.’

Overriding her son’s protests, she refused to let him go.

‘That’s all right, William,’ his grandfather assured him. ‘How would you like to come to New York with me next weekend?’

Sierra couldn’t help smiling as her son’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Will’s head whipped towards her.

‘Can I?’ he asked.

‘We’ll see.’ She turned to her father. ‘We need to discuss this more before I make a decision.’

‘Fine,’ he agreed, rising. ‘I’ll call you.’

She hugged her father. He received the gesture stiffly. Sierra smiled. Emotional displays had always made him uncomfortable. ‘Don’t be a stranger,’ she told him.

She and Will stood watching by the window as William Ross walked to his car.

‘What made Grandfather William come back today?’ Will asked. Even at his age, he understood that people didn’t get over being angry unless something happened to change that.

She set one hand on her son’s shoulde