N'S

e before me. The bottle in Mara's hand slipped, hitting the fl

ps, then walked out without a word.

ilt. It was painful,watching the woman he loved walk awa

meet my eyes, no matter how

We shared everything-pe

im. It's not just a reassurance, it's the f

to you. Don't m

ry, that's all. You know I hate relationships, love, fa

and swaying.

er," he w

el the same," I

ords were slurred. I helped him to

Jewel was mine, but I still hadn't decided

t? Jack was right. I'd alway

d I even care for her? I didn't know

bsessed with women and hated commitment. He only came into my li

ding to be the mother-but honestly, if she had told me the tru

All I've ever wanted was to build my c

ght changed

ft cries again in my

ont of me. "I'm done," she sai

d from her to

to?"

it. And the debit card-" she raised the card I'd given her "-I'll re

caress Jew

a long moment, then

eady,"

"Ready for

e by my name all these years w

y fired me, so what's lef

noying," I

e same affection that had kept her here. A soft s

chest. I'd never felt this way before. Her smile li

ady to take full resp

's your daughter," Mara

to live with me. I w

, right?" she

worried about her

hange of heart? S

ep breath. "Let her stay with me for a month. A

trying not to laugh

ight? You hated h

rsh and rude. But give

r. Norman?" sh

ven convinced myself yet.

don't agree, we'll settle this in cour

A'S

s hand just

out I wasn't Jewel's real mother-but her

she hadn't dragged me-I'd come willingly

stay and watch over her. Let's see

rogantly. It

gently lifted her into his arms,

her until morning?"

e took care of her the

ep making me

hat. What if I hadn't come home that nig

who'd done it. Clara was. But maybe Clara knew he'

I was about to say more whe

ng? Did he find

I'll be back in the morning." I placed a s

unbothered. Delilah c

room with her mother-not t

bowed

MI'S

heavy to sit up. The smell of antiseptic

d-collapsing in my apartm

ake," som

as S

lass of water. I

g to sit up. He helped me

give us privacy-no

you went back to Don,"

if I did, it's non

e's going to kill yo

ry about yours. Stay away from

with you? That I'm dating you

" I whispered. "You

and grabbed my face, an

l sc

, brushing my hair as

we've

verything we had is in th

can't-" he whispere

he day you slept wi

burst open-and Sam

he saw our hands