Webste

and set two filet mignons i

both hands and gazed at Br

pouted, nudging her plate toward him. "You always used to

t hesitate

zed cubes, drizzled the peppercorn sauce evenly over it, and sli

ways been your favori

him, staring fixe

usiness pitch, and sprained my right wrist in the process. That s

en strapped in

so I could make dinner, he was lying on the co

yourself, Cathy," he grumbled impatiently. "I worked al

man like a professionally trained butler, I

gentle is never about

't care about t

brazenly roaming over Brody's shi

e purred, her eyes lingering o

ene in our bedroom sent a

four shirts tried on, beard trimmed three times, doused

t seeing all those old classmates wh

e a show dog waiting for inspection, desperate

ed one finger into the silve

e pendant out

atinum shi

ang across half the banquet hall. "I bought it for you a

red, like a sh

fessed, unable to keep the pride out

erupted in who

raising his beer bottle. "Remember that weekend in Cabo? You tw

- pretty sure it wasn't water!" a

ozen in

y nails dug into my pal

al pain could hold do

table, the corner of her mouth

ad cut for her. "We had our wild years, and the past doesn't just disappear because you want

lecloth, my phone sudd

nced

y's mother.

ately, pressing th

est - the pain is terrible... I fell in the hallway, I can't reach t

feet, shoving

re coming right no

s sleeve, trying

angina is acting up again. The ambulance is alrea

clutching his sleeve, his bro

s idly running a finger around

aid, shaking off my hand. "The paramedics are on the way, aren

m, unable to b

Brody," I whispere

entire table to hear. "If you want to go play Florence Nightingale, go by yourself

dead silence - and not one

out a contemptu

, Brody," Destiny drawled, leaning back. "She treats y

I'd wiped down with warm towels, over and over,

something inside me

ertime, the penny-pinching, the uncomplaining endurance

, picking up my handbag. "I'l

triumph as she leaned c

ambulance with that pitiful graphic-designer salary of

. Brody didn't ev

the banquet hall, his drink-s

ed her to prove I could start over without yo

oom burst i

t turn

lked into Chicago's freezing night, hailed