Ages are as The Proviso opens.
The story spans August 2004 – January 2009
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Giselle Cox, 35. PhD in literature whose bookstore burned, leaving her deep in debt with her life’s work gone. She is now struggling with law school and religiously enforced virginity—although not always in that order.
Giselle Cox, 35. She lives with Sebastian out of necessity and (sometimes) reluctantly assists Knox in his schemes. She’s the Dunham family’s Girl Friday, whether she wants to be or not.
Giselle Cox, 35. You probably shouldn’t mess with Giselle even when she’s in a corset.
Bryce Kenard, 38. Knox’s college roommate, tort lawyer extraordinaire, and widower whose family was killed when his house burned down. He’s having a severe crisis of faith, which he intends to end by getting Giselle into bed—and gets far more than he bargained for.
Bryce Kenard, 38. The left side of his face and body is badly burnt. They have left him unrecognizable to those who knew him before his fire, undateable (except for his money), and in physical pain.
Bryce Kenard, 38. As he looks from his right side. For all his looks before his fire, he was alone, forgotten, expected to tend others’ needs without a break, and he has never had familial or romantic love. His only family for years was Knox, and the only thing he had to hold onto was a twenty-year-old memory he forgot.
Eilis Logan, 38. An embattled CEO with a lifetime of secrets and a strange connection to the war Knox and Sebastian are waging on the villain of the piece. Her only goal is to save her company and her employees, then find Ford, painter of nudes and profligate lover, to set her free from her past.
Eilis Logan, 38. Eilis, an accomplished hobby gardener, deliciously disheveled before turning her worms (pets), mowing her lawn, and preparing for the winter’s down season.
Eilis Logan, 38. Blonde bombshell businessbitch in a little blue dress.
Sebastian Taight, 38. Corporate restructurer and/or raider (depending on the situation) with an unusual night job. He’s led a life of debauchery and intellectual bingeing. He’s getting restless for the one thing he can’t seem to get: a woman who’ll dig past his pretty face and fat bank account to his soul.
Sebastian Taight, 38. The only way he can get laid is by going out in cut-off jeans shorts (“a Parisian peacock”), when his looks do his talking for him and he’s not thinking about money. No, he doesn’t smoke.
Sebastian Taight, 38. Ivy League chic is his natural look.
Justice McKinley, 22. Law student, political blogger, constitutional scholar, and farmer-by-necessity who really doesn’t want to believe all those nasty rumors about that dreamy Professor Hilliard for whom she is determined to work, come hell or high water.
Justice McKinley, 22. Poor girl woke up one day and went to class and boom. Life changed. Be careful what you wish for. You might get it.
Justice McKinley, 22. Stockholm syndrome? Death wish? Savior complex? Desperation? Who knows why women stay with bad boys.
Knox Hilliard, 36. Chouteau County prosecutor and UMKC law professor who can be rather … insane … at times. Murderer, blackmailer, internet troll, and all-around asshole who’s spent his life dating cougars.
Knox Hilliard, 36. A tortured soul who takes it out on the rest of the world, his life a Shakespearean tragedy, of which he is fully aware. Not only that, but he’s moved from the May end of the dating spectrum to the December end, and he’s not happy about it.
Knox Hilliard, 36. Cousin to Giselle and Sebastian, best friend of Bryce, foster father to Vanessa, mentor to Eric, Dirk, and Annie.
Dog
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