Olivia was two years younger than Allison-twenty-five and still single. She''d never been in a rtionship, not even a short-lived high school fling.

    But just because she''d never dated didn''t mean she''d never fallen for someone.

    The reason Olivia had stayed single all these years was simple: her heart was stuck on someone she could never have.

    Allison knew exactly who that was.

    His name was Hayden, the son of Olivia''s family''s longtime housekeeper.

    Hayden''s family was nothing like the Durans. He came from a humble background, and everyone knew Olivia''s parents would never approve. They lived in two different worlds.

    Still, Olivia-quiet and thoughtful as she was—had once taken a chance for love.

    The summer after high school, on her eighteenth birthday, she finally confessed her feelings to Hayden.

    He turned her down.

    Only Olivia, Hayden, Allison, and Sabrina knew what happened. Not even her brother George had a clue.

    At that cocktail party, when Allison ran into Eason, she hadn''t mentioned that Olivia''s heart already belonged to someone else.

    "Olivia, are you still hung up on Hayden?" Allison asked, leaning in. "It''s been years. Haven''t you ever thought about liking someone new?"

    A wistful, slightly bitter smile touched Olivia''s lips. Her eyes grew distant. "He''s be my obsession, I guess. I just... don''t have the energy to fall for someone else."

    All these years, Olivia hadn''t dated anyone. Neither had Hayden.

    Both Allison and Sabrina could see Hayden cared about Olivia, but he always kept his distance. He knew he wasn''t a good match-not for the Durans'' daughter. He didn''t want her to give up everything and struggle alongside him.

    If you looked at it logically, Eason was a much better fit for Olivia.

    "Do you remember Eason?" Allison asked, changing the subject.

    "Of course," Olivia replied. "He''s Brian''s friend, right? We all had dinner togetherst time."

    "I don''t mean that night," Allison said, watching Olivia closely. "You actually met him way before that. Do you remember?"

    Olivia frowned, thinking. "I met him before? I don''t remember that at all."

    Allison exined, "I ran into him at a party recently. He said he''d met you years ago-he came over to see your brother when you were a freshman in high school."

    Olivia''s brows knit together. "Freshman year? I was sixteen. That''s... nine years ago. I honestly don''t remember."

    Allison grinned. "Have you seen himtely?"

    Olivia nodded. "Yeah, I saw him at work yesterday. I think he came by to talk business with my brother."

    "He didn''t ask for your number?”

    “No.” Olivia looked puzzled. “Why are you suddenly asking about him?”

    Allison took a sip of her tea,

    debating whether to spill that Eason seemed interested in Olivia. After a

    moment, she let it go. Matters of the heart were best left alone.

    "Oh, nothing really. He just mentioned he''d met you before, and I thought it was funny. That''s all."

    Olivia shrugged and the conversation drifted to other things.

    After a long afternoon shopping, Allison headed back to her vi.

    As her car pulled up to the garden in her gatedmunity, she spotted a man on

    a park bench, deep in conversation on his phone.

    Joshua? What was he doing here?

    If Javier or Linda happened to drop by and saw him, things could get awkward fast.

    Her pulse kicked up. “Brooklyn, stop the car."

    As soon as the car slowed, Allison jumped out and walked straight toward the garden.

    Joshua was so focused on his call he didn''t see hering.

    She stopped right in front of him. "What are you doing here?"

    Joshua, still sitting, nced down and

    bit sight of her shoes-sleek

    t Laurent heels. His gaze dup her long, fair lea

    Then he looked up and their eyes met.