Charlotte, the longtime hostess of the Maple Room, who ruled with an iron fist and marshmallow heart, came back to the reservation desk and spotted him.

“What a nice surprise, Mr. Clayworth. The family table?”

He saw the round table for eight empty in front of the large middle window overlooking State Street.

“No, thanks, Charlotte. Who’s the next big party waiting?”

She glanced out of the corner of her eye toward a harassed woman, bouncing a fussing infant in her arms, two kids resisting the attempts of a grandmother to entertain them while they waited, and a grandfather gazing into space, wearing a polo shirt with the emblem of a country club Drew recognized. Drew figured the poor guy wished he’d gone to the golf course.

“Give them the family table.”

Charlotte’s lips twitched. “That is very kind of you. Have a good day.”

“I already am.” He winked and turned away.

From behind him one of the kids gave a shout of joy. Drew felt the same way since last night.

His stride long and brisk, he entered the Circassian walnut–paneled boardroom on the ninth floor. The plush, thick blue carpet muffled his footsteps.

Connor eyed the bag Drew dropped on the table. “Have you got mints in there?”

“Not for you. They’re for Jeff and the kids I’m teaching to sail from the center.” And Athena. “Go buy your own.”

“No cash on me. God forbid I be the family member who doesn’t pay cash for my candy at Clayworth’s.” Connor laughed.

“Talk about us being creatures of habit.” Drew shook his head. “How many times growing up did we hear that we could charge anything at Clayworth’s but we had to spend our own money on candy. I wonder which of our dads thought up that family rule.”

“Mine and my mother put him up to it. If it wasn’t for Aunt Bridget, I would have been swiping candy from all of you. So. Let’s talk about stealing.”

He pulled a notebook out of his briefcase. “Ed and I have both questioned Penelope and Shelby. They were both horrified to discover the dresses were stolen from Clayworth’s Secret Closet.” A flicker of a smile curled Connor’s mouth. “I failed to point out the fact Penelope bought the dress under circumstances that could only mean it was stolen property. However, they’re both charge-account customers of long standing, and we all know what that means.”

“The customer must always be pleased,” Drew said with a crack of derisive laughter.

“Exactly.” Connor nodded. “I assured them John Clayworth and Company did not consider them culpable in any way.”

Drew leaned toward him. “Did Penelope give you the name of the fence who sold her the dress? We need to get our hands on the remaining two before anyone else becomes affected.”

“She gave us a name, but it went nowhere. A phony. Sorry, Drew. So far the gowns are untraceable. Ed is still working on it. I agree having those dresses out there makes us vulnerable to lawsuits. It’s still a possibility with both Penelope and Shelby. Although they both are saying exposure to Bertha’s dresses has changed their lives in a positive way.”

Athena in his arms flashed in front of him. Yeah, life altering.

“I don’t believe they’ll sue.” Drew shook his head. “Clayworth’s can withstand any panic, any troubles in the future as it has in the past. But we need to stay on this. Time is running out.”

All at once Drew had an overpowering sense of events rushing to a climax. The Fastnet. Clayworth’s. Athena.

He needed to see her. Touch her. Christ, his own pain and anger had kept them apart for years. No more.

• • •

Twenty minutes later he parked in the donor lot at the museum. He took the steps two at a time and in four long strides reached her office.

She stood behind her desk talking to Makayla.

“Hello,” he called with all the coolness he could muster, considering he was in the throes of sexual longing. He felt like a teenager. Next he’d be shuffling his feet!

They both stared up at him. Easy to read, Makayla widened her owl eyes in surprise, and Athena blushed a rosy stain across her high cheekbones. He saw her try to conceal her reaction by turning away to study her calendar. But he felt her excitement. It matched his own.

“Drew, you must be psychic. I was just going to call you. The board wants to recognize your generous contribution at a black tie dinner this week. We need to discuss the details. Perhaps we could meet later today?”

He didn’t miss the playful glint in her eyes. Regret and an edge of panic bit into him.

I leave for the Fastnet on Friday.

Tonight he needed to be at the harbor overseeing the dismantlement of his Wally to go to England.

Regret and desire ate at his gut. “Tomorrow would be better. Say at five?”

Both their iPhones buzzed at the same moment with text messages. His from the harbor.

“The staff meeting,” she murmured, then looked up at the ceiling and shook her head, like she saw something.

He looked up, too, but all he saw was a pale cream ceiling and heavy wooden crown moldings that looked exactly like carved faces at three corners.

“Will tomorrow work for you?” he asked, looking for an excuse to linger, hoping Makayla had a reason to leave them alone for a second. He wanted to pull Athena into his arms, carry her to that red sofa, and make love to her for hours, days, weeks, forever.

“Athena, it’s time to go to the meeting.” Makayla glared at him from under lowered eyebrows, a tiny diamond twinkling in one. “Bye, Mr. Clayworth. We’ve got to go now.”

Nodding, he backed up, strangely unsure of himself.

“Tomorrow?” he asked softly.

Athena stared at him. “Yes. My place. Tomorrow at five.”

“Tomorrow are you going to talk to Mr. Clayworth about the two of you? Now you’re going to make him fall in love with you, aren’t you?”

Athena stopped in the hallway outside the meeting room and stared at Makayla. She hadn’t realized Makayla still had thoughts of vengeance until she saw it in her eyes. “Of course not,” she gasped in real shock. “We’ve put the past behind us to find Bertha’s missing gowns.”

“That’s awesome, I guess. But I gotta tell you there’s more going on with Mr. Clayworth, because every time you two are in the same room it has a really hot vibe.”

Don’t I know it.

Athena tortured herself with the clear and present knowledge that the Fates, once determined to throw her and Drew together at any cost, seemed now equally determined to keep her away from him. Well, they had played their last nasty trick on her. Nothing, and she meant nothing, would stop her from being with Drew tomorrow.

But first, she had to get through this staff meeting and wait another twenty-four anticipation-packed hours.

She kept glancing at her watch as Edna talked about the budget for the coming year. Makayla nudged Athena out of her daydreams so she could make the appropriate response, a pleased smile and a serene glance into Edna’s eyes when she congratulated her on receiving the Bertha Palmer gowns from Drew and renewed support for the scholarship fund.

The rest of the board applauded politely.

Back in their office, Athena gave Makayla a hug. “The scholarship will pay for your living expenses and all costs at the Art Institute. It’s what you’ve worked so hard to accomplish.”

Blinking her spiky lashes, Makayla stepped out of Athena’s arms. “You’re so awesome. You made it happen, and I’ll pay you back someday.”

She squeezed Makayla’s hands. “You are by never letting go of your dreams. Trust me, they do come true.”