Goodbye, Mr. Regret

When he was a kid, he'd been a little troublemaker-snipping off the pigtails that little girl had worked so hard to grow. Mrs. Zimmerman had been furious, ready to give him a good scolding, but it was the girl herself who pleaded on his behalf. She'd insisted it didn't matter; she was pretty enough that even losing her pigtails wouldn't make a difference. She wasn't upset at all.

She was such a sweet, clever little thing. He'd always spoiled her like a kid sister -until, sadly, she disappeared one day.

Vince's enthusiasm for Jessica probably stemmed from the fact that her gentle nature reminded him of his own little sister.

Yates took a drag from his cigarette just as Timothy arrived. "Why aren't you inside?"

Yates raised his hand, cigarette pinched between his fingers. "Didn't you see I'm out here smoking? Want one?"

He pulled out his pack, shook one loose, and offered it to Timothy.

Timothy took it.

The night was seductive, the outdoor lights casting a dim glow. Two striking, distinguished men stood cloaked in pale blue smoke a sight for sore eyes. "You know, Timothy, I've noticed you seem to have a soft spot for gentle girls." Timothy blew out a stream of smoke, his sharp brows arching, voice cool. "Do I?" "When we were kids, you were pretty fond of Vince's little sister. Remember when we played house? You even dragged her over to divorce me. Forgotten that?"

"That was ages ago. Does it even count?"

not as kids. But what about Sheila

in

was all learned. Vince's little sister-she'd been a natural from the start, soft

point dwelling on the

eyes were cool, betraying

and the recent past doesn't matter, then what about

lips together and said

just bumped into your sister, by the way.

wife's not much of a talker. If someone bullies her, she doesn't fight back. Looks pretty pitiful, honestly. I bet she's had a rough time with

"Don't talk nonsense."

man treats his wife sets the tone for how everyone else does, Timothy. I'm not blind, you know. As your friend, let me give you a little advice-don't go too far, or you'll end up regretting

from his cigarette. "You talk like

face lit up with confidence. "I may not be married, but I haven't

for a while, and if there was one thing that

"Timothy, Yates."