nne

the television in the living room, the tinny sound of cartoons p

y hand, the screen lighting up and going da

mply forgotten my birthday. Or maybe

st of them picked out by Blake's stylist for me to wear to hi

eginning, he at least maintained a polite

peered out. Lily was on the floor, hold

Dayna?" I heard Lily whine. "Mama'

cious. The pain made it hard to breath

made me jump. A tiny, stupid flame of hop

ket, car keys in hand. "I'm heading out.

I asked, the words

ven looking at me before

isle family's housekeeper, stood in the hallway, awkward. "Miss Lily said she didn't want to stay home with you tonigh

and died, leaving

orts channel, commentators excitedly discussing the New Y

ink from a friend, no text,

d into my eyes: "HOCKEY PRINCE BLAKE CARLISLE ENJOYS FA

ce of steak from his own plate and placing it onto Lily's. The warm restaurant lighting softened the harsh lines of his face, making him look impossibly

as that warmth - the warmth I'd never received - re

e canceled my birthday dinner for this

ception, every sliver of hope I had

el anger. Just a profound, bon

study. I opened the bottom dr

e. It had been sitting there for years, a silent prophecy. My lawyer had told me this copy requires a wet-ink, han

Carlisle's signature was already t

p hovered over the paper

ng star. I was twenty-two, sitting in the front row. He wa

edding, his vows c

hts I had waited alone i

topped he

y hand, I wr

ne Sa

. I was just Corinne Sargent. And I was go