He Said No, She Found Love

, the ghost of a life I' d already lived clinging to me like a shroud. But with the daylight came a col

r of jeans and a t-shirt I' d owned before moving in with him. The action was small, but it

' lawyer. He was a kind, elderly man who

ce warm with surprise. "It' s bee

y voice even. "In fact, things are finally becoming

close with the Thorne family. It was their greatest wish that you and their son, Daniel, would one day be u

and a quiet smile from my childhood, before my world fell apart. After my parents' ac

w?" I asked. "

Europe now, I believe. He honored his parents' wish, you know. He has never mar

me. While I had been pining for a man who saw m

erties my parents left me in the city. Liquidate the stocks. I want all of it transferred to an overseas a

this is very sudden. Are you sure? H

tone sharp. "I am twenty-one. It' s time for me

his voice now laced with concern.

land, where Daniel' s company was headquartered. The departure date was three weeks from now, the day aft

mine: my parents' photographs, my favorite books, my sketchbook. I was carefully wrapping

essed in a sharp suit, h

?" he asked, his eyes scanning t

apping the picture frame. "I' m

aking it hard to breathe. "You left last night without a word.

were a rebellious teenager and no

ng a trip," I said vagu

"Don' t get any ideas, Ava. You have your studie

e casual ownership in his eyes. He wasn' t concerned for me;

s voice softening as he mentioned her name. "It' s been too long.

y place. In my past life, those words would ha

t-seven me against his towering six-foot-two

for you, Mr.

ed. I had never called him Mr. Hayes, not since the day he' d

you just

. It' s the proper form of address. I apologize if I' ve been overly familiar in the p

and he didn't know why. The Ava he knew was pliant, adoring, desperate for

exactly how