“Nicholas, you will tell me what happened. Are you safe?” Scott hadn’t changed in years. He still looked every inch the immaculate politician. He was perfectly groomed, perfectly dressed. Not a single hair dared to stray from his chosen style. His features had been built for TV.

Alexei was too dark, too brooding. He was gorgeous, but he’d had a hard life and it showed in his eyes. Caleb’s hair was twelve kinds of out of place. And his T-shirt was never tucked in. It was only a miracle it wasn’t wrinkled.

Scott was perfect, and now she wondered what she’d ever seen in him. Her men were the perfect ones.

“I’m fine, Dad. Not a singe on me, thanks to Mom’s boyfriend.” Nicky seemed to take particular delight in pointing to Caleb.

Scott turned to Caleb. “You look incredibly familiar. If you saved my son, I thank you.”

Caleb got up and mumbled as he turned away. “No problem.”

“Logan, Cam, we need to run a 703. This could get messy.” Nate hopped off the desk. “Cam, you know what to do. Logan, behave.”

The deputies walked around the back of the group.

Nate faced off with Scott. “Congressman, I don’t know what my deputies told you, but someone blew up your ex-wife’s car today. And yesterday she nearly died in an accident that seems mighty planned to me.”

Scott’s hands dropped. “Are you serious? I thought this was something Nicky had come up with. He’s very devious. Is this a joke? Did someone really try to kill Holly?”

If he was acting, he was spectacular.

Nicky stood up and faced his father. “Yes, Dad. I was there. Someone blew up Mom’s piece-of-shit car. She needs a new one. I think you should buy it.”

Scott shook his head. “Don’t try my patience, son.” He turned to Holly, his voice going deep. It was the same tone he used to let voters know he felt their pain. “Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

And just like that his sympathy evaporated. “What have you gotten yourself into? Who is this boyfriend? What’s he into? If he’s dangerous, I don’t want him near my son. Nicky, our little deal is off. You can get your ass in the car. You’re coming home. And don’t throw those pictures in my face. You want to ruin my career, go ahead. I won’t save my fucking career in exchange for my son. Holly, you get in the car, too. We’re leaving. You can stay in the guesthouse.”

Both of her men started toward Scott, and Holly finally understood what a 703 was. It was code for “keep the douchebag alive.” Cam put a hand on Alexei, and Logan stood in front of Caleb.

“You are not taking our woman anywhere, dolbo yeb. Zhopa!” Alexei went off in a litany of Russian, most of which sounded like curses.

“You touch her and I will find a horrible way for the Russian to kill you,” Caleb promised. “I took the Hippocratic oath. He didn’t.”

Scott looked between the two men. “I thought the ginger was your boyfriend. Oh, god, Holly. Not you, too. This town is just wrong.”

Holly stood her ground. It was long past time to make a stand. “It isn’t wrong, and I’m not leaving. And yes, they are both my boyfriends. And Nicky knows.”

Nicky grinned. “Total thumbs-up, Mom. They are hot! Dad’s still doing the political equivalent of the pancake waitress.”

“Nicky!” Holly and Scott managed to say it at the same time.

And she realized something.

“You love him.”

Scott’s face went softer than she could remember seeing it in decades. “Of course, I do. He’s my boy.”

“He’s gay, Scott.” Scott lived in a very conservative world.

“Yeah, I figured that out when he was six and asked for Cher to sing at his birthday party. I’ve always known. He thinks I got rid of Tristan because he was a boy. I would have gotten rid of a girl at this age, too. He’s too young. He’s way too young to even think about settling down. Damn it, he’s my son. He can’t know what he wants at this age. He thinks he’s in love, but in the end, he’ll love his career more and he’ll end up wrecking someone’s life. Someone he loved. Just…just not enough. Is it wrong that I wanted to spare him that? To spare Tristan that pain?”

She shook her head. She would never forgive him for what he’d done to her. But she didn’t need to brood over it anymore. “Scott, he’s not you. And he’s not me.”

Scott took a step toward her. “Babe, you know you’re the only woman I ever loved.”

Cam got into a defensive position. Alexei went off in Russian again. Caleb simply stared at Scott.

Holly held out a hand, trying to let her men know that she had this one handled. “Oh, Scott, your love wasn’t worth much, was it?”

He didn’t even look offended. “No. Which is why Connie and I work and you and I didn’t. She doesn’t give a crap as long as I keep her in Prada. But you, oh, you needed more. I hope these assholes are giving it to you. Our son is the best thing I ever did.”

“He blackmailed you.” Holly was a little surprised at the way Scott talked.

Scott smiled, a fierce little turn of his lips. “That’s my boy. He’s ruthless. I’ve never been more proud than I was the day he took down the old man. My other two kids are bleating sheep. They’re tax deductions. Nothing more. But our Nicky, he can be anything because he won’t accept less. I’m fucking proud to be his dad.”

“Yeah, that’s going to go over so well with your little old lady supporters and the church groups,” Nicky pointed out.

Scott sighed. “Well, I wasn’t going public with my support. Son, fuck whoever you want. Just do it in private. And for god’s sake, don’t do it like your mother. She has it all wrong. It’s two girls and one man. Though I will admit, your mother is certainly pretty enough for two men.”

“She’s not going to sleep with you, Dad,” Nicky said, groaning a little.

“Ewww! I am not.” Holly wouldn’t touch Scott with a ten-foot pole.

Scott shrugged. “You can’t blame a guy for trying. You look good, Holly.”

“Yob tuvoyu mat!” Alexei pressed against Cam.

“Uh, Sheriff, he’s really strong.” Cam looked like he was one of those tackle dummies football players used.

“Alexei, down!” Caleb snapped. “Holly made her choice. She chose us. She isn’t going anywhere. He’s just making an ass of himself. And, unfortunately, I don’t think he tried to kill her.”

“Kill Holly?” Scott turned to the sheriff. “Sheriff, I’m an ass. I’ll sign the paperwork proclaiming it, but I would never physically harm Holly. I love her. As much as I’m capable of love, I love her.”

She looked at her men who appeared ready to do everything they had promised. “He’s not capable of much. But I’m pretty sure he didn’t try to kill me.”

Nate frowned. “He was in Denver yesterday?”

“Yeah. He was in Denver at a rally and then Pagosa Springs today,” Cam replied, eyeing Alexei like a tiger who was just about ready to pounce. “But he probably wouldn’t do this himself. I ran his financials on the way out to pick him up. If he paid someone, he did it from a secret account.”

Scott’s foot tapped impatiently against the floor. “I didn’t try to kill my wife. Ex-wife. I wouldn’t do that.”

Nate’s eyes rolled. “Fine. You can go. I sincerely suggest you get the hell out of my town before the Russian decides to take your head off. I think Doc there will let you get by, but the Russian has gone a while without killing someone. I’m worried about him.”

“Doctor?” Scott looked at Caleb, his mouth dropping. “Holy shit. You’re Caleb Sommerville.”

“Damn it.” Nicky frowned at his father. “She didn’t know that.”

Caleb flushed, his skin turning a dark red.

“What?” Holly asked. “You’re wrong. His name is Burke.”

Jessie put her hands up. “Alexei, you can’t blame me for this one. I didn’t let the cat out of the bag.”

“What are you talking about? Alexei?” She turned to Alexei, who seemed to know something she didn’t.

Alexei’s rage seemed to flee in favor of a deep guilt. It was written in the lines that creased his face. Cam stepped back as though realizing the threat had passed.

“Dushka, everyone in Bliss hide something,” Alexei said. “Caleb does not like his original name. That is all.”

Oh, but it wasn’t. Alexei might be an excellent liar, but he didn’t seem capable when it came to her. There was something else going on, but she let it go. She turned to Caleb. She still wasn’t sure what was such a big deal. Alexei was right. A lot of people came to Bliss because they wanted to forget something. “Sommerville is a little stuffy, babe. I like Burke better.”

“You’re okay with it?” Caleb asked. Every muscle seemed tense.

She shrugged. “Why would I care? Lots of people change their name. Laura changed hers. Rachel did, too. Nell went through a phase where she called herself Moonbeam Laughingstick. I should have changed my name, but I’m way too lazy.”

Nicky slapped his hands together. “Good, excellent. Then we’re all happy. Dad, you should ship out. Don’t you have voters to defraud?”

Scott’s eyes narrowed, speculation plain in the blue orbs. “She doesn’t know.”

“Dad.” The word sounded like a warning coming out of Nicky’s mouth.

Holly got a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. Nicky knew something, too. Everyone knew except her. She looked at Caleb. “What are they talking about?”

He seemed to find the floor behind her endlessly fascinating. “Nothing that matters. I’m Caleb Burke.”

Scott rubbed his hands together as though something pleased him greatly. “No, you’re Caleb Burke Sommerville of the Chicago Sommervilles. Holly, darling, if you think you couldn’t handle the Langs, you really should meet the Sommervilles. Talk about old money and power. They invented the terms. That family came over on the Mayflower, didn’t they? Well, it didn’t take them long to become one of the premiere families in American politics, and they’ve kept it that way for a couple of hundred years.”

“You’re an asswipe, Dad.” Nicky’s fists were clenched.

Holly looked around the room. “Nicky, you knew who he was?”

Nicky’s eyes turned down. “Yes, Mom. I lived in DC long enough to know who the power players are. I knew who he was the minute I laid eyes on him. And I knew he was different. He wouldn’t be in this town if he wasn’t.”

Scott laughed. “If you think my mother is a monster, you really should meet his brother, Eli. He’s in the Senate. There’s talk of a run for the presidency. How is that going to look? The heat’s going to be on, Holly. The great Elijah Sommerville isn’t going to like the fact that his sainted brother is involved with a waitress and apparently a foreigner. This little ménage of Caleb’s might be just what my party needs to bring him down.”

It was happening again.

“Dushka, calm down. Caleb has his reasons.” Alexei’s eyes fairly pleaded with her.

“He managed to tell you.” An icy stubbornness was settling over her.

Alexei shook his head. “No, I discover on my own. I discover what an amazing man he is. Yes, his family is wealthy and powerful, but he choose to be doctor to poor people in Africa. He choose to save peoples. And he choose to come here. He choose you. He might be too stubborn to admit to this, but he loves you, Holly.”

Not enough. Never enough. “He didn’t even tell me his real name.”

Caleb’s eyes were flinty stones staring at her. “This is my real name. This is who I am.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

His jaw hardened, and he looked back at the floor. “Because it doesn’t matter.”

“If it doesn’t matter, why didn’t you tell me?”

His eyes came up, and they were cold. So damn cold. “Because I’ve had too many women who were interested in my family and not me.”

She felt her hands shaking. She was right back where she’d begun. She was twenty and in love and under fire. “You thought I was a gold digger. Just like my ex-mother-in-law.”

Scott laughed, a smug, satisfied sound. “If he doesn’t, I assure you his brother will. Caleb Sommerville is worth about fifty million dollars. That’s what your trust is worth, right? And Eli is worth probably a billion. Trust me, you don’t marry into that family without some heavy vetting. His first wife was a socialite. Caroline Hanover. Good stock. My mother would have approved.”

“Congressman, I think we’ve had about enough of you. Please feel free to go.” Nate gestured toward the door. “My deputies can show you out.”

Holly had heard enough. “I think I’ll go, too, Sheriff. We can all agree this is probably not about me. I’ll be at my cabin if you need me.”