Simone watched Regan move about the kitchen as if it were her own. How did a woman do it -raise a baby, keep a husband happy, and wear a smile as she turned chicken in a pan with a pair of tongs? Her own mother had been miserable with diamonds, shoes, and a beach front back yard where the yacht was parked for her convenience in any one of their homes. Sure, Regan was a pampered wife, but no matter how wealthy Zachary Benson was, there was more to her wealth. He loved his wife and his child. He loved them both enough to want to have more children -that was the kind of wealth Simone had always longed for.

Even as children, Zach 's relationship with his parents was unique to her. Sure, they 'd tucked him away in a French boarding school, but it was for his betterment. For her, they just wanted her tucked away. There were mistresses to have. Parties to throw. Companies to build. Children were in the way for the Pierponts.

"You look lost. "

Regan 's voice caught her off guard.

"I guess my mind was a million miles away. "

"Happens to me all the time, " she said as she pulled the chicken from the pan and set it to the side. "Especially now that I 'm pregnant I feel as though I can 't keep a simple thought in my mind. "

Her curiosity had peaked. She needed to tread lightly, but she had her own questions about what was going on within her body. What better a time to ask, but she had to be careful.

"So how do you mean you cannot keep a thought? "

"Pregnant brain. Theory is there is too much blood going to your stomach not enough in your head, or something like that. You just forget things. I did it with Tyler all the time. "

"Really1? "

"Sure. But now mix that with just being tired because I have a toddler who wants to play every morning at two o 'clock, I think it 's worse this time. "

Simone moved to the refrigerator and took out the bag of pre-washed salad Regan had brought. She searched for a bowl and dumped it inside and then set it on the table.

"Do you think this will be your last baby? " Simone asked as casually as she could.

"No. " Regan 's answer was quick and firm. "I want two more. "

"Really? "

Regan turned and smiled at her. "You seem surprised. "

"Do I? It just seems like a lot of work. "

"You can guarantee it. " Regan opened the bottle of white wine she 'd brought and poured it into the pan with the drippings from the chicken. "I grew up in a noisy, chaotic house. I want that for Tyler. I want him to have what I still have with Arianna, Curtis, and Carlos. "

Simone wanted that too, not only for her baby, but for herself. She 'd never had brothers or sisters. Zach was as close as they came. But she had a unique opportunity now. If things worked out with Curtis she 'd have sisters. She 'd have brothers. She 'd be part of a family. Already they 'd accepted her and she was an outsider.

Tears welled in her eyes, but she wasn 't quick enough to brush them away before they fell.

Regan placed the spaghetti noodles in the pot of boiling water and looked over at her. "Why are you crying? "

"I am a bit overwhelmed lately. That is all. " Simone brushed away her tears. "I have never had what you had. Money cannot buy the fond memories you have with your family. Your family rallied behind you when you met Zach and when Madeline was sick you all were there to support her even when she was not married to your brother. I know for a fact you have never missed one show Arianna has had on Broadway. And here you are cooking for me. I have never had such an experience as compassion in my life. "

Regan studied her for a moment. "Why are you here, Simone? Why now? "

"My father does not want me. I have dishonored him. "

"No matter what you 've done, a father will forgive you. "

She shook her head. "Mine would rather dangle my trust fund over my head and threaten me. I think I surprised him when I told him I would rather live on my own than be bribed with his wealth all the time. "

"That 's a pretty big statement right there. "

"It was a pretty big decision. " She searched for two glasses in the cupboard and set them on the table. "You have money now. Do you think you are happier? "

Regan laughed. "I 'm happier because I have Zach. But I had days when all I could afford was packaged noodles, and I was happy. "

That confirmed what Cynthia had told her. "Why? "

"Because I was doing what I wanted to do. " Regan smiled as she lifted the noodles from the pot and placed them in the bowl. "I lived in L.A. in a tiny little apartment I shared with another girl I didn 't know well. Kind of like you and Sam. But I was broke. I could afford my car, my share of the rent, and a few groceries. And aside from my wonderful life now, I don 't think you could top the feeling of freedom I had. "

Oddly enough Simone understood that. Her lunch at her desk the very first day, which she 'd purchased from the vending machines, had been nearly as freeing as walking away from her father when he 'd told her to get rid of the baby or lose everything she had. He 'd been worried about her disgracing his name. She was a fully grown, mature adult, and yet he could still make her feel like a child. But sitting in the small, rundown kitchen of the small shared apartment, she didn 't feel like a child. She finally felt hope spurring through her. Her father was small minded. There was a whole new world at her feet. She just had to keep her feet firmly planted.

"Oh, dear it is six-fifty. I need to disappear. " Regan began to scurry about finishing up the small parts of the dinner she 'd created while Simone did the small parts that hadn 't involved the stove. "Plate the chicken on top of the noodles and drizzle the caper sauce over that. "

She reached for her purse and pulled out her keys.

"I stuck a cheesecake in the fridge for after, too, " she said smiling as she hurried for the door.

"Thank you from the bottom of my heart. "

"T1his is what sisters do. " She kissed Simone on the cheek and hurried down the front steps.

Simone shut the door and rested against it. Sisters. That was a hefty word.

She stood there a moment longer and let her nerves settle. Everything had to go right. She wanted Curtis to be hers more now that she had before. He had more to offer a relationship than just himself. He had a family and Simone was desperately in need of a family.