My brother led us into the lounge, and it happened right away. "Joey?"

I looked around and saw Amber rushing toward me. "It's so good to see you!"

She threw her arms around me. "Amber, it's good to see you too."

"My God, you're gorgeous! Europe must be treating you very well." She said.

"Thanks, you're just as beautiful as ever, how's Joel?" I asked.

"You know we married?" She asked.

"Yeah, I tried to keep tabs while I was gone."

"He is fine, who did you marry? It must have been one hell of a romance, because Hudson was left shattered to pieces." She said.

Here we go...

"I married a man named Jackson Beaumont. We have twins, a girl Serenity and a son Mason. They're sixteen, but soon to be seventeen. We lived in France for a long time, than Spain before settling in London." I said.

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad. I'm guessing you're here for the funeral?" She asked.

"Yeah, and to tie up his affairs. I'm hoping to be here for most of the summer, but Jackson is threatening to come to bring me home." I said.

"You should bring the kids over for dinner tomorrow night. Our son is the same age, and I'm sure he would love to hang out with your kids." She said.

"I'd love that, actually." I said.

"We live at the old Hampton homestead. Swing by around eight, oh and just a warning, Hudson is here having dinner with us. I'm glad I needed the potty run and got to see you first." She gave me one last hug.

My body almost went completely numb, and my heart raced.

"I'll see you tomorrow night, Amber, give Joel my love." I quickly turned to find Rob and Theresa.

"I have to go, he's here somewhere, I'll walk home." I said.

My brother stood and placed his hands on my shoulders. "You cannot run away, just let it happen, sis."

"Honey, she doesn't want to see him with his wife," Theresa said.

"Wife?" He looked at Theresa, then back at me. "He's divorced, it's just him and his son visiting." He said.

Divorced?

"Joey, calm down and have a seat. You knew someday this might happen." He said.

"What?" Theresa asked with curiosity, and I kicked Rob under the table.

"She needs to face her life back home sooner or later." He said.

I ordered a beer and a few shots. "I thought we were having dinner sis, not tying one on."

"You can eat all you want." I took a shot.

"Great, now you're acting like a regular alcoholic." He judged.

"Whatever I need to survive the night." I took a long drink of my beer.

"Speaking of that, your phone has been ringing all night, is it Jackson?" He asked, and why would he care?

"Yeah, he's threatening to come to get me and the kids and take us home." I said.

"Let the bastard come! Seriously, it's about damn time he faces what's back home too. He was never there when we visited, because he's a fucking coward." Rob is obviously pissed. "Why can't you just leave him and move home? Take the house and your inheritance, and start a new life." He said.

I sighed. "Serenity and Mason think he hung the moon, they'd never forgive me." I said.

Rob let out a sarcastic laugh. "Serenity maybe, but Mason hates the prick. He told me yesterday he knows his father hurt you. He's not blind, Joey."

"He said that?" I'm shocked.

"Yeah, he asked if we would take him in when he turns 18, because he can't wait to get out of the bastards house." He said.

"Wow, I know he's the more reserved one, but I had no idea that's how he felt." I said.

"The kid knows more than you think he does." He gave me a weird stare.

I did a few more shots and had a few more beers. Rob insisted I at least eat some salad and bread, but my nerves were running wild.

"Excuse me, ma'am, may I have this dance?" I heard in a deep voice.

"Doug!" I jumped up and hugged him.

"You are a sight for sore eyes. Damn, you're even more gorgeous than I remember." He said.

"Thanks, but you offered a dance?" I asked.

"Go on sis, have some fun." Rob said.

I pulled him out to the dancefloor. "Forever the bachelor, huh?" We danced to a slow song.

"Not really." He held up his hand and showed me his ring.

"Who?"

"None only, than your best friend, Julie. We've got three kids and another on the way, what about you?" He asked.

"Well, I married Jackson Beaumont, we've got a daughter and a son. Twins actually, and they're 16. I've pretty much been all over Europe, but I'm home now for my fathers funeral and to tie up his affairs."

"Yeah, I'm sorry to hear about your Dad." He said.

"Are you really? What he did to your family was horrible, you know I wasn't a fan either." I said.

"He was still your father." He reminded me.

"Yeah, that's one fact I could never hide. He wasn't a good man Doug, but he died as he lived. Hated and alone, with more money than anyone ever needed." I said.

"No, he was never a good man, but that was never your fault. I suspect he sent you away because of Hudson?" He asked.

I nodded. "Something like that, and I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye."

"We missed you, and we all thought he sent you away. We were never angry with you, but I don't think Hudson ever recovered." He said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Well, after 911 he ran off with the Marines to Iraq after marrying the first girl that came along. He was never happy, and never the same after you. He crashed his car about two days after you left, lost his scholarship, and he was a real mess. After a few tours, he left the Marines, and now he works for the FBI. An agent to be exact." He said.

"I'll never forgive myself for that, Doug." I said.

"Well, he's here tonight. You should talk to him." He suggested.

"I couldn't, he won't ever forgive me." I said.

"You're talking about Hudson, Joey. He would forgive you in a heartbeat."

"Oh, believe me, he has every reason in the world to hate me." I said.

"He could never hate you."

"I wish that were true, Doug. Anyway, enough about Hudson. Tell me what you've been up to here in Texas."

"Real Estate."

"Ah, so this isn't a social call?" I asked.

"This is totally a social call, I work in commercial real estate." He said.