Agatha was crammed in the car with what felt like half of her family but was only a handful of them, and it was almost a relief to arrive at Trisha's party. Almost. She was apprehensive as she followed her cousin Alistair, his parents, Aunt Grace and Uncle Bryce, and her Uncle Davis and Aunt Laura down the hall toward the party.

It was in full swing, and they could hear laughter floating down the hall toward them from the open penthouse door.

"Trisha is on a roll tonight. Everyone watch their backs," Lizzy said as she floated down the hall to greet them. It amazed Agatha how much Lizzy looked like her mother. The older she got, the more she resembled Elizabeth Stevens. "I advise traveling in a group. It's probably the safest thing."

"She can't be as bad as all that," Grace insisted. The beauty in Aunt Grace was she always wanted to believe the best in everyone.

"It's her 65th birthday!" Lizzy drawled in response.

"Are we really that old?" Davis asked with a sigh.

"No, Bryce is 70," Lizzy said with a sweet smile as she looked at her serious brother, who appeared non-plussed by her statement.

"Ouch!" Alistair said, smothering a smile at the insult directed at his father. "That was a low blow, Aunt Lizzy!"

The elevator door dinged behind them, and a few more Stevens spilled into the hallway.

"Why are we all out here?" Alice asked with a frown. "Has Trisha finally lost it?"

Aunt Alice was with Uncle Rainer and their daughters, Mave and Beth.

"Where is Wyatt?" Lizzy asked.

"He's with the kids. He remembered that Aunt Trisha was turning 65 before I did, so he called babysitting duty." Beth sighed.

"Who else is coming?" Lizzy asked.

"I think this is all." Grace did a headcount. "The others that are in town or all at the theater."

Lizzy nodded. "Let's go, and remember, watch your backs."

"Keep your head down!" Alistair whispered.

"Stick to the shadows!" Mave hissed.

"And whatever you do, do not look her directly in the eyes, or she will turn you into stone!" Davis added.

Agatha kept herself back from the rest of the group, watching as they charged forward. They would draw attention when they entered, they always did, and she wanted to blend in, in case Merrick was there.

She had worn the cream silk dress that she had bought in Germany. She had worn it in part for Merrick but also because she didn't have anything else. Part of her had wanted to run out and buy something new, but the other part of her wanted to remind him, if he was there, of how happy they had been.

Taking a deep breath, Agatha slowly entered the apartment. Her family had already scattered in different directions like they always did at parties. They always knew someone.

Looking at the room overflowing with people, Agatha felt a moment of panic. The last time she had been in a place this full was in the hospital after Eli's concert. The only good thing about it was that it would be difficult to find anyone she knew in the crowd.

Pushing her way toward the bar, she ordered a whiskey and made her way for the fresh air of the balcony. She hadn't taken off the coat she had borrowed from her mother, so it was easy to wrap it a little tighter around herself and lean into the wind as she looked at the lights below.

Her family was right. She had to snap out of it. It was hard to know that you couldn't have what you wanted most in the world. She could be patient for the rest of her life, and Merrick might never have a change of heart. She didn't know how long she stood there, and when she heard a voice, it caused her to jump.

"Aren't you cold out here, Stevens? Everyone else has the good sense to stay inside." Merrick said from behind her as if she had conjured him up by magic.

Agatha pulled her coat closer to her as she took a sip of her whiskey. "I don't like crowds. I find them much more uncomfortable than the cold." Agatha turned to face him.

He looked elegant in his tuxedo. His hair was a little long, and he had grown a beard, and it reminded her of Paris.

"I like the beard," Agatha said with a smile. "I'm surprised the hospital lets you keep it."

"It's not the Army," Merrick said as he joined her. "How have you been?"

"Honestly?" Agatha asked, taking another sip of her drink.

"Always, honestly." Merrick stepped closer to her and looked down into her face.

"Depressed, sad, lonely, take your pick. I miss you, and I miss Savannah. I want to go home." Her voice was husky. "It was one thing to leave you behind in Paris, knowing you were unobtainable due to distance, but now I can just reach out and touch you, and I really want to touch you." Agatha took her hand and placed it, palm down, in the center of his chest.

When he didn't move in response to her touch or words, she withdrew her hand and turned away from him. Nothing had changed. Merrick still didn't want her.

The door behind them opened, and they both turned to see Jade pop her head out. When she saw Agatha, she frowned.

"Everyone is leaving to go to the theater," Jade said before she withdrew back into the apartment.

Agatha knocked back the rest of her drink and then turned to look at Merrick. "I have something for you. It's in the car. Don't let me forget to give it to you."

Merrick walked to the door and opened it on an almost empty apartment. The only ones left were Jade, Rudy, and the wait staff.

Her family had deserted her!

Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it from her pocket.

"Trisha wanted to ride with us. She said you could catch a ride with her nephew," Davis texted.

"Fine, but grab the envelope from the car," Agatha texted back.

"Oh, is the nephew the one that took them?" her mother asked, all innocence.

"I'll need to meet this young man!" Mason wrote.

"It's a little late to be playing the overprotective dad card," her little sister Poppy interjected.

This was too much! Poppy knew! She was in London.

"IF ALL OF YOU DON'T SHUT IT, I'M BLOCKING THE ENTIRE FAMILY!" Agatha insisted.

"Go ahead, try it!" Alice warned.

"What's wrong?" Merrick asked as he slid on his coat.

"I need a ride," Agatha said through clenched teeth.

"You can ride with us. I'm guessing Aunt Trisha got a ride?" Merrick raised an eyebrow in question.

"You know what's going on, don't you!" Agatha hissed as Jade and Rudy joined them. "Who told them! That's what I want to know!" Agatha looked at her silent phone in anger before she shoved it into her coat.

"I'm pretty sure I did," Merrick said. "Are you ready?"

Agatha's mouth fell open as she stared at him. He was such a private man. Why would he share anything with her family, who were strangers to him?

She couldn't ask the question, though, because the other two had joined them.

"Agatha is riding with us," Merrick said as he placed a hand on Agatha's back and escorted her to the elevator with the other two following behind.

"I can't wait for Trisha to meet you," Jade gave a malicious smile as she slid into the backseat of the car. "She never likes any of Roark's girlfriends."

Agatha ignored her. Jade would never have anything positive to say.

"What the hell are you doing here with them?" Agatha softly asked.

"You'll have to ask Aunt Trisha that question. She's the one that invited them, and while I'm not pleased about it, it doesn't seem to matter as much as it once did." Merrick's voice was as soft as hers.

"What are you two whispering about?" Jade asked loudly from the back seat.

"Nothing that concerns you!" Agatha said back.

They arrived late and had to rush toward the box where Trisha had seats. It was directly across from her family, and as she entered the box, she realized the position. Agatha turned to look across the theater at the two full boxes across from theirs. She picked up a pair of opera glasses and looked at the box to find all eyes looking right back at her.

"We're going to be the show tonight, Merrick," she said as she handed him the glasses. "And it's your fault. I can't believe you told them."

"Told who what?" Jade asked as Rudy helped her remove her coat.

Merrick and Agatha stared at each other for a moment. Agatha's cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing heavily out of anger.

"You look hot," Merrick stated, walking toward her.

Agatha gave a little strangled squeak at his words. What did he mean she looked hot?

"May I help you with your coat?" He asked with a knowing smile.

Oh, he still knew how to play her.

Agatha shrugged it off her shoulders. "I bet you my parents are behind the curtain watching us too!" She spun around when she was coat-free and glared at Merrick, but Merrick was admiring her dress.

"Did you wear that for me, Agatha?" Merrick asked in a husky voice that made her knees weak.

Agatha reached down and picked up the envelope that held the pictures he had taken off the chair next to her. Davis must have left them in the box.

"Nope, it was the only nice dress I own." She slammed the envelope into his chest. "These are yours!" Then she turned and sat down in the chair.

Merrick sat down next to her and opened the envelope, pulling out the photos, and when he came to the one of Agatha, he paused, and she could hear him take a deep breath.

"I didn't need to tell anyone a thing, Agatha. These pictures say it all."

"What do they say, Merrick?" Agatha asked, still angry that she had fallen for his little trick so easily and that his words could still affect her so strongly.

Whatever he was about to say was drowned out by the orchestra as the show started.

The first half was terrific. Her father was charming and funny, and her mother and Eli were on point with their song choices. It had been a long time since she had seen her family perform live, and she loved every second of it. They might drive her nuts, but she knew she was blessed to be part of such a talented and loving family.

As soon as the light rose for intermission, Merrick slipped out of the box, leaving Agatha alone with Jade and Rudy. Then Rudy went, and it was only her and Jade.

"I thought for sure you two were finished after that little scene in Savannah." Jade leaned back in her chair and eyed Agatha. "Still, I shouldn't worry. I know that Trisha will finish you off in the end."

"You keep saying that, but I don't think it's likely to happen." Agatha shook her head and picked up her opera glasses to look at the box across the way.

They weren't all there, but many of them were, and they had their glasses trained on her as well. There was nothing she could do, so she set her glasses down and placed her focus on the stage. Shortly after the second half started, Merrick returned, but Rudy didn't.

"Where did you go!" Agatha hissed.

"To introduce myself to your father. I thought it was about time, especially if he saw these photos." Merrick held them up for a moment.

"You didn't!" Agatha's eyes grew wide.

"I did."

"Dammit, Merrick. Why are you confusing me!" Agatha stood, grabbed her coat, and stormed out of the box with Merrick right on her heels.