The Ex Upstairs by Maureen Child

Ten

Over the next few days, the world shifted. At least, Henry thought, his world changed.

Love.

Why the hell did she say that? Why would she throw that out there right before she walked away? She loved him? He rubbed the center of his chest with the heel of his hand, but it didn’t do a damn thing to ease the pain centered there.

Love.

He’d lived without Amanda for ten years. Being without her now shouldn’t be this difficult. But he couldn’t focus. Didn’t give a damn about new mergers, pending contracts or meetings with the lawyers. None of it mattered.

Having Amanda back in his life, in his bed, was more than he’d ever thought to have. Now that she was gone again, even breathing was hard. And he only now realized that he’d been missing her for years. That’s why he’d never felt complete. Why he’d never been satisfied with the life he’d built for himself. Because she wasn’t there.

The emptiness he’d survived for so long without her suddenly looked darker and colder than ever.

Love.

And he had only himself to blame. Wasn’t that a bitch?

The nights were the worst, he admitted silently. Even with Martha living in her quarters downstairs, the big house echoed with emptiness. He was too used to having Amanda beside him. The dark seemed to magnify the fact that he was alone, and he’d gone so far now to think about what Mick and even Amanda had said. Getting a dog. At least that would be another heartbeat in the house. Force him to care for something besides nurturing the pain that kept him in a tight grip day and night.

“What the hell’s going on with you?”

Frowning, Henry glanced at Mick. “What’re you talking about?”

“I mean, you’ve been a complete ass for days now.” Mick sat forward in his chair across from Henry’s desk. “I’ve been talking for fifteen minutes and you were on Mars or something. Hell, when I came in, I swear I saw Donna pick up her stapler and consider bashing you over the head with it.”

Frowning, he threw a look at his closed office door and pictured his assistant, just on the other side. Donna by nature was cool, unflappable. Or so he’d thought.

Scowling more fiercely, Henry said, “Then maybe you should leave it alone.”

“I could,” Mick said and kicked back in the guest chair, stretching his legs out in front of him. “But where’s the fun in that?”

“Fun. Sure.”

“All right. What happened with the woman?”

Henry glanced at his friend. “Why does it always have to be a woman?”

“Excellent question,” Mick mused. “And one men have been asking for centuries.”

Henry stood up, shoved his hands into his pockets and bristled with the hot, driving energy that had been in him since the moment Amanda had walked out. He didn’t know what to do with it. All he could do, it seemed, was go over and over that last argument with her and wonder if there’d been a chance to pull it all back. Could he have stopped it? Could he have stopped her from leaving? Should he have?

He remembered the betrayal stamped on her face when he’d admitted using information Serena had given him. And no doubt, she’d told her sister all about it and now he’d lost a friend, as well.

Glaring at Mick, he growled, “How the hell am I supposed to trust her? She’s a Carey, for God’s sake.”

“Ah. Amanda. Your Amanda.”

She wasn’t his now. Frowning, Henry regretted ever telling his pal about what had happened between him and Amanda so long ago. On the other hand, he didn’t have to waste time bringing the man up to speed now.

“It all blew up,” he muttered and turned to look out the window. The view didn’t soothe him today. Just as the view from the roof hadn’t eased anything the night before. Hell, Amanda was imprinted on his house now. On his heart and soul. Ripping her out was tearing him in two.

“You knew who she was when you went into this,” Mick said easily.

“I know that. Not helpful.”

“So what happened?”

Henry gave him a brief summary, then finished by saying, “Okay, I did use something Serena told me against their family, but is it my fault she let it slip?”

“Nope.”

“Stop agreeing with me.” Days since Amanda had walked out of his house in the middle of the damn night and he was still as furious as he’d been at the time. The question was, whom was he angrier with? Her? Or himself?

Then her face rose up in his mind. Again. The look in her eyes when he had admitted to using information Serena had given him. The betrayal. The hurt. And, like he did every time that image haunted him, he fought it down. Fought his way past it, because remembering tore at him in a way that was nearly unbearable. So yeah, he was angrier with himself than with Amanda. For all the good it did him.

“All right,” he allowed, “maybe I shouldn’t have used the information Serena gave me, but damn it, if the positions were reversed, Bennett would have done the same damn thing.”

“Right.” Mick cocked his head and asked, “Would Amanda have done it?”

“What?”

Mick shook his head. “You’re raging over this breakup with Amanda, but it’s Bennett you’re blaming for what you did. So I’m asking, would Amanda have used information against you?”

He had to think about that, and honestly, he wasn’t sure. And even as he thought it, he called himself a liar. Yeah, he knew Amanda. She was determined to prove herself to her family, but she wouldn’t have used someone else to do it. She wouldn’t have gone out of her way to sink his plans as he had hers.

So he guessed that did make him the bastard she’d called him. Worse, to his mind, was the knowledge that he actually did trust her. Of course, that realization came too damn late.

“No,” he finally said in disgust. “She wouldn’t.”

“Right.” Mick stood up, went to the coffee bar on the far wall and poured himself a cup. “So bottom line is, you’re at war with Bennett and Amanda’s the casualty.”

He frowned at that, but he didn’t argue, because damn it, Mick had a good point.

In his own defense, he muttered, “She’s still a Carey.”

“And you’re a Porter. So?” Mick took a sip of his coffee. “You’re the one letting this get out of control.”

He snorted. “Just me, huh? Not Bennett?”

“You don’t control Bennett,” Mick said. “Only yourself. So if you want the war to go on, it will. If you don’t...if you want Amanda more than you do the battles with her brother...then stop it.”

Was it really that simple? Would it be so easy to end something that had become a part of his life for years? Was he ready to?

Love.

He’d done a lot of thinking the last few days. When everything had happened in Italy so long ago, there had been a part of Henry that hadn’t been surprised at all. It had taken him a long time to understand why, but he did now and wondered if that reason was still keeping him from what he wanted.

It went back to his childhood, of course. Which sounded pitiful to his own ears. Allowing choices made by a parent to somehow guide your own choices decades later didn’t make much sense. But when his mother died, Henry had watched his father blame her for leaving them. He’d treated her death as a personal betrayal. As if the woman had died to spite him or something, and somehow, Henry had absorbed that lesson.

Even as a grown man, there was a small part of him that was standing back, waiting for people to leave him. So when Amanda was torn from him so long ago, it had devastated but not surprised him. And this time was no different. He’d gone into this relationship with one foot out the door. To protect himself? To hide? Whatever the reason, it was self-defeating and not worth hanging on to.

Maybe it was time to put the past to rest. To move the hell on.

“How do I stop a war that’s gone on so long?”

“That’s for you to figure out, Henry,” Mick said. “I think you can manage it.”

Henry’s brain was racing and he didn’t much like what he was thinking. Mick was right. Amanda had been right. He’d been fighting with Bennett for so long, it was second nature. But was it worth it?

Love.

Frowning to himself now, Henry thought about Amanda, and what was between them—or might be between them now—and wondered. Was Candace Carey right when she said that carrying on this war for ten years was ridiculous? Was it time to let it all go?

He’d proved he was as good as or better than Bennett Carey, hadn’t he? That thought brought a deeper scowl. Why had he ever thought he had to prove himself to Bennett? Because he’d once been a friend? Because he’d turned on Henry? Well, hell, Henry had turned on Amanda, so was he any better than Bennett?

“Ask yourself one question,” Mick said. “Do you love her?”

Henry looked at him.

“Yeah.” Mick nodded and hid a smile. “You do. You just haven’t faced it yet.”

Was his friend right? Was he in love and too much of a coward to admit it? Even to himself? Hell. Obviously he had a lot to think about. To consider. To face. He had to find a way out of this mess he found himself in and he wasn’t about to do any of it in front of Mick.

So for the moment, he’d focus on this appointment and get at least that done and finished. Sitting down, Henry tapped one finger on the report Mick had handed him. “Okay, enough. Let’s talk about this instead. Bennett Carey’s planning to take over a security company? Why would he do that?”

Mick shrugged, took another pull at his coffee cup. “No idea why.” He grinned. “But he’ll be disappointed.”

“Why’s that?”

Smiling, Mick said, “Because the company he’s considering isn’t nearly as good as mine.”

Henry smiled. “Of course it’s not. Well, let him have it. I don’t need a security company when I’ve already got you on speed dial.” He shrugged. With Mick paying informants, keeping tabs on the Careys was easier than it had been before.

When Henry had first started trying to fight the Careys, he hadn’t been in a position to hurt them. But as Porter Enterprises grew, he’d found small ways to make inroads. To drive Bennett crazy. There was always someone willing to talk—secretaries, assistants, mailroom clerks. But these days, he had Mick’s expertise to count on.

“I’ll have the next report for you on Friday,” Mick was saying.

It amazed him just how much time, effort and, hell, money he’d put into the war with Bennett. And what had it brought him, really? Henry shook his head as he reconsidered, well...everything. “No. I think we’re done.”

Mick stared at him. “You’re serious?”

“Yeah.” Henry pushed back in his chair. “I am, Mick. You’re right. If I want to end the war, it’s up to me and this is where it starts. It’s enough already.”

Mick rose and nodded. “Glad to hear it. You’ve wasted enough time on this.”

Henry laughed shortly. “If you thought so, why didn’t you say it sooner?”

“Hey, you’re my friend.” He shrugged. “It was important to you, so I stood with you.”

As simple as that, Henry thought. A friend who was there when you needed him. He held out one hand to Mick and when he shook it, Henry said, “Thanks for that.”

“Good luck,” Mick said as he walked to the door. “And let me know how it all ends.”

Yeah, Henry couldn’t wait to find that out for himself.

Love.

He remembered her saying it. Remembered the punch of that one word. His heart had taken a direct hit, and it had been safe for so long that one word had nearly knocked him out. And over the last few days, that word had forced him to think. To question himself. To look deep enough to find an answer that had always eluded him before.

Did he love Amanda?

Of course he did. He always had.

It was time, he thought, to finally do something about it.

A few days later, Amanda attended another family meeting and wasn’t surprised in the least to see that Justin hadn’t bothered to show up. Wherever her little brother was now, she hoped he was having more fun than she was. The others were there, though. Her father, tapping his fingers impatiently. Serena, checking her email and smiling to herself. Bennett glowering as usual. The only one missing now was Candace.

Amanda felt...apart somehow. She was standing back and looking at her family clearly and could see now that she’d spent too much of her life trying to please them all.

Oh, she loved her job and she was good at it. But when had she decided that she needed to impress Bennett? Why had she spent so much time worrying about what her brother thought about her work? She was every bit as much a Carey as he was and had every darn right he did, too. Nobody questioned her older brother’s abilities, did they? Well, she deserved the same treatment.

Bennett was stern and rigid, and would roll right over a person if they didn’t stand up to him. And that was her problem, she thought. She’d never taken a stand. Not ten years ago and not now.

Well, that was about to change.

Steeling herself for what was to come, Amanda took a moment to look at Serena. Ever since that last night with Henry, Amanda had been going back and forth on if she should tell her sister what he’d done—or not. Finally, though, she’d decided to say nothing. Serena saw the good in everyone and there was just no reason to shatter her, hurt her, as Amanda had been hurt. No matter what her own feelings were for Henry, she had believed him when he said he’d never meant to use Serena.

She had to ask herself, then, if she could believe him about that, why was it so hard to trust him on anything else? But she’d been in her own home, alone in her own bed, for days now and just like ten years ago, Henry hadn’t called. Hadn’t come over. Hadn’t made the slightest effort to talk to her, to find a way through this. So clearly, she was in love and he was in lust. Right?

“Dad,” Bennett was saying, “why are you here?”

Martin looked at his oldest son and reminded him, “Where else would I be?”

“I don’t know,” Bennett snapped, throwing both hands in the air. “Retired? With Mom?”

“I’m here, too,” Candace said as she sailed into the room, wearing a hot pink dress and matching heels. She deliberately took a seat away from her husband and Amanda sighed. The retirement war was still going strong. What was it about the Bennett family that they couldn’t stop battling people—even each other?

“Fine.” Bennett didn’t look happy, but when did he?

“Serena, you go first. Update.”

“Right.” Serena started talking, but Amanda wasn’t listening.

Instead, she was remembering what Henry had said when he accused her of being ashamed of being with him. Keeping him a secret from her family. She had gone out of her way to keep the relationship under everyone’s radar. Why would she do that? She was thirty years old and made her own decisions, so what did she care if the family didn’t approve of those choices?

Funny that it had taken another family meeting to underscore that she was not only a Carey, she was Amanda. And she’d live how she wanted to. With that thought set firmly in her mind, she interrupted her sister.

“Sorry, Serena, but I’ve got to say something.” And if she didn’t do it right away, she might just talk herself out of it.

“Problem with the Summer Stars audition?” Bennett asked.

“There is life outside the company, Bennett,” Amanda told him and her mother applauded gently. She sent Candace a fast smile, then focused again on her brother. Standing up, she turned to face him head-on. “No. This is about me. And Henry.”

“Porter?” Bennett’s gaze narrowed on her. “What about him?”

“I’ve been sleeping with him.”

“You what?” Bennett.

“Amanda!” Her father.

“That’s lovely.” Serena.

“Good for you, honey.” Her mother, God bless her.

Strange, but now that she’d started, she felt stronger, more sure of what she was doing than ever before. Looking at Bennett, she said, “To be completely clear, we don’t get a lot of sleep.”

Serena muffled a laugh, but Bennett’s glower deepened until he almost looked like one of those awful yard gnomes.

“What are you thinking? He’s the damn enemy, Amanda.” Bennett looked furious and Amanda just didn’t care. Not anymore.

“Your enemy maybe,” she said, facing Bennett down the length of the conference table. She was barely aware of the family watching them now. Amanda had things she wanted to say and now was the time.

“You started this war, Bennett,” she told him now and ignored the slap of shock on his face. “You found me and Henry together, happy, and you ran him off. You didn’t talk to me. To either of us. You just reacted and expected to be right. Like you always do.”

“Now just a damn minute—”

“No,” she countered quickly. “You wait. This isn’t even my war, but I’m the one who always ends up wounded.”

“How the hell are you wounded?”

“For heaven’s sake, Bennett,” their mother said. “You’ve got eyes. Can’t you see your sister loves the man?”

“Who said anything about love?” Martin looked from his wife to his daughter, completely confused.

Amanda paid no attention to any of it. She focused solely on the brother she loved and needed to make understand. “You set out to destroy Henry for what exactly? Having the nerve to touch me? To love me?”

Bennett gritted his teeth. “It wasn’t all about you, Amanda. He was my friend and he went behind my back with my baby sister.” He pushed the edges of his jacket back and shoved his hands into his pockets.

Amanda read the shine of betrayal in his eyes and she could almost sympathize with him for that.

“What did you expect me to do when I walked into the boathouse and saw—”

“Maybe talk to me?” Amanda argued.

“You were naked,” he reminded her. “And so was he.”

“Then you should have left. Given us a minute. Let things cool off so we could talk. Instead, you went nuts.”

“You do have a temper, Bennett,” their mother said and he threw her a furious look.

“Everybody should calm down. Take a break, maybe.” Serena looked worriedly from one to the other of them.

“No,” Amanda said, “we’ve waited too long to have this out.”

“Well said,” Candace murmured. “It’s past time the air was cleared.”

“You’re okay with this?” Bennett demanded.

“I’m not,” their father said and his eyes were flashing with banked anger.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Dad,” Amanda said, “but in case no one here has noticed, I’m a grown woman and who I sleep with is my business.”

“You’re absolutely right, dear,” Candace said, and silenced her husband with one fulminating look. “I’m happy you and Henry have worked things out between you after all these years.”

“I am, too,” Serena said softly.

“Oh, we haven’t,” Amanda continued, looking at Bennett. “Thanks to this never-ending war, we have no trust between us. And without trust, there’s nothing. So congratulations, Bennett. Another battle won and another wound for your sister.”

“I’m not doing any of this to hurt you!” Bennett stared at her openmouthed as if he couldn’t believe that she would think so little of him. But what else could she think?

It felt good, getting all of this out in the open. Every word was painful and a part of her hated throwing all of this at a brother she loved. But she’d been silent too long. And still, even knowing that, Amanda knew she wouldn’t say anything to Serena. There was no reason for one more Carey woman to be hurt by Henry Porter.

Turning to her brother again, she said, “You won the war, Bennett. We’re not together anymore.”

“Then why the hell did you bother saying anything about it?” he bellowed.

“Your temper doesn’t intimidate me anymore, so just stop it.”

He clamped his lips shut. Surprise? Probably.

So while she had his complete attention, Amanda said, “I told you because I’m serving notice, Bennett.” His features were stamped with a mixture of anger and confusion and she reminded herself that he was her brother. He loved her. He was just...wrong.

“Bennett, I love you. But I can’t just fall in line anymore. I’m good at my job here. I’m a Carey, just like you. I have as much right to this business as you do. And I love all of you.” She looked at each of them in turn. “But I’m done living my life by the Carey rules.”

“What’s that mean?”

“It means, Bennett, that I’m done being the chew toy you and Henry fight over.”

“She said that to me a few days ago. Nice to hear it said to you, too.”

Her gaze snapped to the open doorway. Henry stood there, eyes locked on her, an unreadable expression on his face. Her heart jumped into a gallop at the sight of him. It didn’t matter how they’d fought. Didn’t matter that she’d walked out and he’d let her. All that mattered right now was that he was there. In what he would consider enemy territory.

Why?

“What the hell are you doing here, Henry?” Bennett demanded. “Get out.”

“Bennett, dear,” Candace said, “sit down.”

“What?”

“Candy,” their father started to say.

“We’ll hear Henry out,” she said flatly.

“Thanks for that, Candace,” Henry told her and spared her a quick smile before focusing on Amanda again. “You’re absolutely right, Mandy. You never deserved to be caught in the middle.” He walked into the room and closed the door behind him.

He’d come to the office to face Amanda because she deserved it. Ten years ago, he’d left without a word. This time was going to be different. And if he wanted that, then he had to face all of the Careys—but first, Amanda.

“Get out,” Bennett said tightly and his mother scowled at him.

Henry shifted his gaze to the other man and said, “Not this time. I’m not here to see you, Bennett. Like Amanda, I’ve got something to say and it’s time you heard it.”

“We don’t need to hear from you,” Martin said.

“Martin,” Candace ordered, “leave the boy alone.”

“You can’t be all right with this.”

“I am, though,” she said, then turned her head to Henry. “Go ahead, Henry.”

He smiled, then looked at Amanda because he could feel her watching him. He’d finally come to his senses and he didn’t care who the hell knew it. As long as Amanda believed him. He walked around the table until he was standing right in front of her, forcing her to tip her head back to look into his eyes. He hated the shadows he saw there and knew he was the reason for them. Never again, he promised himself. All she had to do was give him one more chance to prove himself. Damned if he’d fail this time.

Dipping into the inner pocket of his jacket, he pulled out a thin sheaf of papers and handed them to her.

“What is this?”

Henry looked at Amanda. Only her, as he said, “That’s the deed to the hall. It’s signed over to you.”

“Henry...” Her mouth dropped open and she glanced down at the papers before lifting her gaze to his again. He saw the look of cautious joy that flashed across her face and that told him he wasn’t too late. He hadn’t missed the second chance fate had thrown at him.

“Why?” Bennett demanded, shattering the quiet. “Why would you do that?”

Sighing, Henry reluctantly shifted his gaze to the man he’d once called friend. “Because,” he said, “it’s past time this war was over.”

“Just like that.” Bennett didn’t believe him and Henry found he just didn’t care.

“Bennett, for God’s sake, just be quiet,” Candace muttered.

“Just like that,” Henry said. “Bennett, we’ve both gone out of our ways for years to get at each other. What’s the point? We’re both here. We’re both successful. Let the damn thing go already.”

“I’m supposed to believe you, I guess,” Bennett said.

“Do or don’t,” Henry told him. “I don’t care. Like I said, I’m not here for you.” He turned his gaze on Amanda, ignoring every other Carey there.

“I’m here for you, Mandy. Like I should have been ten years ago. Like I swear I always will be from today on.”

She took a deep, shuddering breath. “Henry...”

“Don’t say anything.” Henry took the deed from her, tossed it to the table, then held her hands in his. “Please. Just let me talk first. I have so much to say to you. Then you can tell me to stay or go and I’ll do it. Whatever you want, Amanda.” Hopefully, she wouldn’t tell him to go. Then he added, “Indulge me.”

She smiled, at the memory. “Okay. You first.”

Neither of them paid any attention at all to the others in the room. It was as if they’d all disappeared, leaving Henry and Amanda alone in the world.

Keeping his gaze locked with hers, Henry willed her to believe him. To trust him as he should have trusted her right from the damn beginning.

“I have to start with I’m sorry, Mandy. It doesn’t seem like enough, but it’s all I have. I’m sorry I let Bennett chase me off ten years ago—”

“Hey—”

He ignored her brother. “Sorry I didn’t call you. Sorry I didn’t trust what we had. And I’m sorrier than you know that I never told you I loved you.”

Her breath caught and when he tightened his grip on her hands, he felt her tremble. He’d almost lost this, he thought. He’d almost let her get away when she was...everything.

“And I’m sorry about the hall.” He turned to look at Serena. “I’m going to apologize to you, too.”

Surprised, she laughed and asked, “What for?”

He smiled to himself as he realized that Amanda hadn’t said anything to her sister. Of course she would protect her sister from pain. That’s who Amanda was. But to have the fresh start they needed, Henry had to tell Serena.

No more lies, no more half-truths.

“When we were at lunch, Serena...”

“You went to lunch with him, too?” Bennett demanded. “Both of my sisters going behind my back? What the hell, Henry?”

“I swear,” Candace said, “if you don’t hush, Bennett...”

His mouth snapped closed, but his eyes were saying plenty.

Henry sighed and said, “Serena, you told me about Amanda’s plans for that hall and I used that information to buy it out from under her.”

Surprise, disappointment and finally acceptance crossed her features before she looked up and said, “You didn’t have to tell me, Henry. Amanda didn’t. So why would you confess now?”

“It was my story to tell. And I’m done with secrets, Serena. I’m very sorry for it. I want you to know that. You deserved better.” It felt good to say it, but he hoped their friendship would survive.

She studied him for a moment or two before smiling up at him. “I forgive you, but our next lunch is on you.”

“Deal.” Relieved that he hadn’t lost a friend, he said softly, “Thank you.”

“Oh, sure.” Bennett threw both hands up. “Forgiveness all around. Let’s all have cookies.”

“Sounds good,” Henry quipped and grinned at his old enemy before turning back to Amanda. When he saw the shimmer of tears in her eyes, he hoped it was a good sign.

His thumbs moved back and forth over the backs of her hands, and somehow that action both fired his blood and cooled his mind. How had he ever gone without her?

“Forget about everything else but this. I love you, Amanda. I always have.” She smiled and he kept going. “I want you to have that hall. Make your plans a reality.”

“What plans?” Bennett asked.

“You didn’t have to do that, Henry,” she said, with a slow shake of her head.

“Yeah, I did.” Dropping her hands, he moved to cup her face in his palms. “I believe in you. I trust you. And I love you more than anything in the world. I will always love you, even if you tell me to leave right now.”

“I won’t do that,” she said on a half laugh.

“Thank God,” he muttered and gave her a grin before he bent to plant a quick kiss on her lips.

“I’ve got something for you.” Letting go of her, he dipped one hand into his slacks pocket and came up with a small red velvet box. When he opened it to her to display a square-cut sapphire with diamonds on either side of that glittering, dark blue stone, her eyes went even wider.

“Henry?”

“Marry me, Amanda. Stay with me. Live with me in that house, make a family with me.”

Serena sighed.

Amanda laughed and gasped and looked up at him in astonishment. He was taking that as a very good sign.

“And let’s get a dog, too.” Henry grinned at her. “Like you said, the house needs one. To curl up in front of the fireplace.”

“A dog?” Bennett muttered.

“Quiet, Bennett,” Amanda told him and Henry laughed. “What kind of dog?”

“From the shelter,” he said. “We’ll find one that needs to be rescued—like you rescued me.” He looked into her eyes and whispered for her alone, “Love me. Marry me. And trust me, to love you for the rest of my life.”

She reached up to cup his cheek and he swore that was the first real warmth he’d felt since she’d walked away from him days ago. He couldn’t lose it again. Couldn’t lose her. “Love me, Amanda.”

Smiling up at him, she said, “I do love you, Henry. I trust you. I trust us to build a wonderful life together.” She kissed him, then eased back down and said, “I warn you now, though...I want it all. Marriage, kids, dog, job.”

Her smile eased away every jagged edge in his soul. “Sounds perfect.”

“And I want it all with you, Henry. It’s always been you. Only you.”

He grinned. “So that’s a yes?”

“Oh, yes.” She held out her left hand and he slid the platinum ring onto her finger, where it glittered and shone in the overhead lights.

“I swear you’ll never be sorry,” he said and kissed her.

And while the family reacted in the background, everything from Serena’s applause to Bennett’s muttering, Henry and Amanda took that first step into the future, wrapped up in each other.

Look for Serena Carey’s story,

part of the Dynasties: The Carey Center seriesfrom USA TODAY bestselling author

Maureen Child,available next month!

Keep reading for an excerpt from Christmas in Rose Bend by Naima Simone.