Full of pain, Drew paced to the window and back. He caught a few words of Connor’s conversation with Bridget and then obviously with the pilot, before Drew paced back to the window. Despite his life falling apart, he had to go. Athena was right. His decision about the Fastnet, his belief that he’d never escape the guilt of not being with his parents, had to be put to rest.

Now coldness made him stop and stare blindly down at the famous Clayworth Clock below. Clayworth tradition. Clayworths standing shoulder to shoulder. Did anything matter now that he’d lost Athena again?

A commotion at the door turned him around. Bridget rushed in. “What are you boys up to this time!”

“I’m going with Drew to the Fastnet,” Connor said. “Aunt Bridget, you can run this place better than the both of us.” Connor shook his head. “Drew, you didn’t believe I’d let you do this alone, did you?”

An hour later they were in the G-V, the pilots ready to take off, the second crew required by the FAA for a trip from Chicago to England seated in the crew rest area.

As always, Connor strolled to the forward cabin and immediately started working, and Drew prowled to the galley, poured himself a neat scotch, and tossed it down his throat before he strapped himself in for the flight.

The second or third scotch didn’t kill the ache in his gut. This was a different pain than he’d felt that Christmas night on the terrace when he’d left Athena. He’d been too young to understand the loss and loneliness of what he’d decided should be their future. Now he did.

He stared out the window, seeing Athena’s face when he’d left her this time and her voice saying, We can’t fix this. Shutting the door on their future.

Athena cried herself to sleep.

Only Drusilla Junior licking her face roused her out of bed. She glanced at the clock in disbelief. She’d slept the day and most of the night away, exhausted by grief and hours and hours in Drew’s arms making love.

No, I won’t think about it.

Raw with pain, Athena forced herself to go through her daily ritual. But the bathwater scalded her skin, and then her clothes felt too heavy on her body. Every part of her ached.

She conjured up every lesson on life, on courage, her parents had ever taught her. Her oldest-sister role, stiff upper lip, leader of the pack, had gotten her through most tough times in her life. Doing it about Drew might be the proverbial straw, but she needed to try. Even if they didn’t have a future, she couldn’t let go of her fear for Drew and what the past might cost his future.

The doorbell rang at an hour barely civil. For one insane instant she thought it might be Drew.

Torn between so many conflicting emotions that she felt sick, she stood and stared at the door. She couldn’t fake anything at the moment.

As it rang again, she peeked through the lace curtains to see who wouldn’t give up.

She flung the door open for her father.

“Your phones have been off for twenty-four hours. I’ve come to apologize.”

“Dad, I’m the one who was wrong,” she sobbed, throwing herself into his waiting arms.

How could she have any more tears left? Obviously a renewable resource, they poured down her face as her father led her into the living room, sat beside her on the blue velvet settee, and encouraged her to cry on his shoulder.

“I’ve been a fool trusting Drew again. Believing I can fix everything. I’ll never forgive him for believing you guilty of… of… of wrongdoing. And not telling me about it.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Athena. I’ve apologized to your sisters for running away to lick my wounds instead of talking this through with all of you. I thought I was sparing you, but obviously I was wrong.”

Her dad’s calm voice shocked her into sitting up to stare into his face. “If you aren’t guilty of anything, why didn’t you stand and fight like you taught me to do?”

His smile gentle, he took out a white handkerchief like he’d always kept in his trouser pocket since they were kids and wiped her wet eyes and nose. “I chose to accept early retirement because I considered Drew’s grandfather an old lion whom I greatly respected. To fight would have compounded the problem. There is trouble brewing at Clayworth’s, but not of my making, even though the evidence speaks to the contrary.”

Justice for her father burned away a small sliver of her grief. “We’ll fight it, then. Clear your name with Drew and the others.”

“Time will do that for me, Athena. For too long I’ve let this blight my life. I don’t want it to blight yours any longer. I don’t want to be the cause of any more unhappiness for you.”

“How can I be with Drew when he believes you capable of larceny?”

“Athena, the evidence certainly supported the possibility. I’d consider it myself if I didn’t know better.”

“He didn’t confide in me. Share it with me so we could somehow work it out. Although I don’t think that is possible.” She couldn’t keep the pain out of her voice.

“Why didn’t he share his feelings about me with you?”

Burning with embarrassment, regret, she shook her head. “He said he was afraid if I knew how he’d voted I wouldn’t give our relationship a chance.”

“Would you have?”

“Of course not. I’ll never betray you, Dad.”

Her father nodded and wiped a fresh tear off her cheek. “Do you love Drew?”

She’d had enough of hiding the truth. “Yes. I’ve loved him since I was seventeen. But how can I be with him and support you?”

“Drew did what he believed to be right. There are troubles ahead for Clayworth’s. Drew will need a woman like you at his side.”

Drew’s words, I need you there, rang in her ears.

“I know you believe in me. You being with Drew won’t change that. Make the wise decision, Athena. Choose happiness. Follow your heart with Drew. It doesn’t diminish your love and trust in me,” her father said softly, love in his eyes.

What would I do if I were still under the influence of Bertha’s toxic stays, being given another dose of truthfulness?

Athena knew exactly where the Clayworth executive offices were located on the ninth floor.

They appeared deserted. “Hello,” she called, a little edge of panic in her voice.

Bridget strolled out of her office. “Athena, what’s wrong? You’re as pale as a ghost.”

“Where is Drew? I must see him.” Fear that she’d be too late made her catch her breath so she wouldn’t burst again into loud, sloppy tears.

“Connor e-mailed that they landed in Stansted and drove to Cowes. That blasted Fastnet begins tomorrow. Damn foolishness, if you ask me. Drew always was the most stubborn of the lot.”

Athena gripped Bridget’s cool fingers. “Please help me to get to him before the race.”

Without any questions, Bridget picked up the phone, and in a few minutes Athena had a first-class ticket on the next flight out.

Hanging up the phone, Bridget winked. “Sometimes it’s all right to throw around the Clayworth weight.”

As the fleet of boats sailed from Cowes, dawn broke high in the sky. One moment a faint flush on the highest peaks of the clouds, the next, light. The Fastnet had begun. The moment he’d waited for had finally come.

Over the years he’d learned how the sea had many voices. Today he listened to the wind and waves. The hollow booming and heavy roars. The great watery tumbling, long hisses, and sharp reports, splashes, whispers that might be half-heard voices of people at sea.

In the early hours of the race he heard his dad’s voice, over and over again. “No, Drew, you can’t come with us.”

He’d come for closure because he hadn’t been there, standing shoulder to shoulder with his dad like Clayworths always did. Now he would finish the race for him and his mother.