from him as he wandered back to the kitchen.
“Is there a party going on that I didn’t know about?”
Herc wore a wide smile as he helped Tim blend the protein shakes. Leo was scooping up omelets.
“I set the table, Dash,” Herc told him. “And I poured the OJ.”
“Good for you, buddy.” He ruffled Herc’s hair and slid into a seat.
Leo brought over their plates and Tim poured shakes for everyone.
As the four men sat around the table, Dash basked in the camaraderie that surrounded him.
He raised his OJ glass. “To men!” he proclaimed. “Lift your glass, Herc.”
His brother did as instructed and Leo and Tim joined in.
“To men!” they said and drank.
Dash didn’t give Ashley Franklin a second thought.
◆◆◆
Sydney watched the familiar streets of Santa Monica pass by. Her mother had loved this neighborhood because she felt it was as normal as you could get in LA. The houses were large but not monstrosities. The city had a good mix of wealthy people that were famous and unknown so they hadn’t been stopped on the streets as much when they were out doing errands.
A wave of sadness rushed over Sydney. She deliberately hadn’t thought about her mom in a long time. Losing her had changed the trajectory of her life. Sydney wondered how different things would’ve been if cancer hadn’t taken away the person she loved most.
The car turned onto her street. She noticed how various trees had grown. Everything had an air of familiarity about it but somehow it looked different at the same time.
The Uber driver repeated the house number she’d given him for confirmation and, moments later, they swung into the driveway. Her driveway. She remembered riding her bike up and down it. Helping Birch wash his car. She loved the brush that she used to rub circles around the white part of his tires. She remembered her brother turning the water hose on her and squealing as the cold stream hit her.
The car stopped and Sydney got out. The driver popped the trunk and removed her suitcase. She thanked him and watched him get back into the car and drive away. She faced the front door, knowing she needed to go in. Sydney forced herself to put one foot in front of the other until she found herself on the porch.
Before she could ring the bell, the door swung open.
She drew a quick breath in. Her dad had gotten older. His salt and pepper hair now had way more salt in it. He’d be sixty next month, she remembered. His face was tanned as always but more wrinkled around his mouth and eyes. He looked thinner, too.
The megawatt smile he gave her was all Monty Revere.
Sydney found herself crushed against him in a bear hug so tight that she could hardly breathe. He released her and looked her up and down.
“I don’t like your hair this color,” he complained. “Your mother wouldn’t either. That’s one of the things I loved the most about her—that mane of auburn hair.”
“I don’t like it much either,” she admitted. “I’m ready to hit the salon tomorrow and claim my natural color.”
He slung an arm around her and took her suitcase handle with the other. “Come on in, Kid.”
They stepped into the large entryway. Sydney’s eyes went to the stairs. How many times had she run up and down them? Too many to count.
Her father closed the door and set her suitcase aside. He beamed at her.
“I’m so glad to have you home. I’ve missed you, Syd.”
She nodded. “It’s been a long time.”
“Too long if you ask me but I’m not complaining. I’m just happy to see you here. Come on in.”
He led her into the spacious den. She looked around. Framed photographs were still scattered about the room. All of them were of her, Birch, and her mother. She sank into the brown leather sofa.
“So. How are you? Do you have a . . .”
“A wife?” he asked. “Not now. Not for a while, actually. Monica was the love of my life. I finally figured out I couldn’t replace her.”
Sydney remembered the rebound wife. Wanda, the makeup artist. He’d married her less than a year after her mother died. After their divorce, he married Kayla, the ex-wife of one of his director pals. They were still wed when Sydney left home.
“I guess Kayla was the last one you met. Then I lived with a couple of gals because alimony started getting expense. I did take on number four. Jan. She