Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica froze, her body tensing for a split second before she shoved Timothy

away with all her strength. She yanked the comforter up to shield herself, glaring at him with a wariness that hadn't been there before.

"It was just a kiss. Was that really necessary?" Timothy scoffed.

She never used to react like this.

Her rejection stoked his frustration-ever since Herbert Wheeler had shown up, Jessica hardly let Timothy touch her at all.

Jessica silently cursed her inability to speak; if she could, she would have called him a creep to his face.

As if he even realized where he'd tried to kiss her.

After making sure the blanket was secure around her, Jessica reached out and signed, "Trying to pull that stunt in broad daylight at the hospital? Get out. I'll change by myself."

Timothy's irritation softened, if only a little.

She was shy-especially in the middle of the day, in a hospital room no less. With her temperament, of course she couldn't accept it.

As long as she wasn't pushing him away for another man, he could live with it.

He was still coaxing her, after all; the last thing he wanted was to drive her so far that she'd never come home again.

So he left the room.

in a hurry and

outside. He caught her hand and led her toward the exit, his grip

Sheila, chatting with her. "Miss Sheila, could you please talk to my dad?

was cold, sharp as

he'd received at the paper-cutting contest that morning,

talk Timothy out of

to Timothy. "You shouldn't be so harsh with Henry all the time. It's not

then, Mabel appeared and announced, "Sir, ma'am, dinner's ready. You can come to the

with dinner ready and guests around, now was hardly

had eaten lunch, so he said, "Let's

room. Pulling out her chair like a perfect

and the two of them

for Jessica and set it in front of her. "You just got over a high

voice was gentle,

if her heart

of tenderness had

head down,

there or not, it barely seemed

Jessica, picking out pieces of food for her-even