Page 56 (1/2)

Could Mark not understand? Maybe he was as cold and unfeeling as she’d convinced herself he was, because he didn’t seeht on a steed, and she’ll be okay even though I ripped her life apart six o Piece of cake

"If you want to rebuild this thing," she said, forcing her voice to reood Let’s leave it at that for now Please There’s ht"

"Is there a chance?" he asked softly

She gazed at his handso that they were in so had happened, sixtheir first child She hadn’t gone home for the summer; she’d never laid eyes on Ian Rhodes

Kind of like the fantasy she and Ian had shared the night they went to the lake She’d been happy with that one

But that wasn’t their world, was it? And, despite everything, she wouldn’t change the way things had happened She wouldn’t Because she would have missed out on some beautiful ive you right now I don’t want to get your hopes up, honestly, but I’ the door on the idea either Okay?"

He didn’t look happy with her answer, but she couldn’t help that It would be too easy for her to fall into Mark’s ploys For one thing, if she went home with him, saw the beautiful house she’d lived in, slipped back into the life that had been snatched away frooner No, she couldn’t do that

"So…thank you for a beautiful dinner, but I think I should go hoaze to the centerpiece of their table

Mark sighed, pulling his hand away "Fair enough" He helped her from her chair, kept his hand at the s A moment later, the valet pulled up in his blue BMW, and he tucked her inside Never let it be said he wasn’t a gentleman, at least when it ca her silenced cell phone from her clutch and sed hard past the knot that formed in her throat Ian had tried to call her Several tih, she truly hadn’t realized how angry she was at hiht," Mark said as he entered the freeway, oblivious to her turlad you’re open to us going out again"

"M of burning hot hazel eyes…and then of punching one of them out Of course, she’d never resort to violence Only in herabout hihts, she whipped her head around to stare at Mark "Well…it’s kind of hard not to I’nant with his kid"

"Is that the only reason?"

"Can we not end on this note?" She rubbed wearily at her tes of a headache blossom behind her eyes

"I’d simply like to knoho my competition is Your mother didn’t tell me much"

Well, hallelujah for small favors She’d remember to thank her mother for that the next time they spoke