years

a's

can't

ed hair. Beside me, a small boy curled under the blankets, his las

the kitchen. "You know you tw

ding across the icy tiles. She stood at the stove,

ck, helping me finish school. You've carri

Please. You say that like I'm some saint

down. Kicked out by my parents. Homeless with a newborn. Maribel

jected y

onths of this, Belle. I apply, they love me, then-poof!-sud

arling. It'

last night," I admitted

he Valiente? The 'myster

's a long shot, but the sala

he owner's face. He's like a ghost-or a cat-hoard

e if he's got three heads. If

murmurs from the bedroom. My heart ached. This

hed out?" Maribe

e. Five years, Belle. The

ed me: standing on their porch in the pouring rain, c

tchen, his little feet sl

He smelled of sleep and syrup. When he pulled

ke his

a

matter how many hours I spent scouring

and toast toward me. "So. Have

. "What a

ylor. Got some

halfway to my

ring her coffee.

t was a prize-only for Ash to prove, yet again, that he was trash. I shou

felt.

k was the end of the world was gone. In her place? A single mom who

on the table.

answered

rs?" A crisp, pr

es

ustries. Can you come

in the chair.

s. Our CEO reques

the phone. "Wai

We'll see y

ne wen

echoed. "That's insane. An

e to debate. Valiente offering me an inte

the least wrinkled blazer I owned, and kis

icky fingers p

red as I raced

hance. And I'd be damne

-

stood in the glittering at

faces. The air smelled like money and ambition-crisp l

miled. "Ms. Rivers

ss, my heels clicking too loudly against

or-sharp suits and focused stares. Obviously

enough? It had to be. For Jack. F

oak door. "He's

e

eat, I didn'

stepped

-ceiling windows framing the skyline. The scent-ced

the window, h

park down my spine. Heat flared at

tur

rld st

ath va

ax

ands in his pockets, that sam

A pause, deliber