dent, Rebecca t

to infuse her empty life with quiet pursuits.

personal distractions would, i

eave this place, as far away as possible. The t

stemmed from Vance or from her five w

n any longer. Even if it lingered for ages bef

hes. Then she phoned the front desk for a morning wak

evious night's insomn

ed on her phone. Messages poured in, the d

focus on the exam. After breakfast, she left for th

with a call from Vance. In a panic, she nearly dropped i

art pounded with exhilaration. She

sation. She understood most of what she heard, a

t at least she had completed everyt

own, mentally reviewing every detail of the exam u

he couldn't retract her step in

uld have fallen. And that person w

e muttered, his

He grasped her shoulders and softened his tone, asking in

nowing the answer, but it wasn

e flap open, and her exam pen peeked out, which

quatted down, shoved the pen

he asked, loo

ng to sound natural, though her fingers

see it,"

loser. "What do y

ur phone,"

d only a f

upset? You stayed at a hotel alone and didn't return home. I

e. In his mind, it was h

ed. "Lunch first. Then I'll acco

at was fine. She had some

, Rebecca instinctively lowered her head, raised her

. If she didn't measure up, so be it. S

e order, passing her the ute

ur favorites," he said, h

He had no idea she couldn't handle spice; home di

not touching the food. "I

to go, I'll join you. I have the whole afternoon free. We can

heart flooding with profound bitterness as she