Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Words can slip out in an instant, but if you don't speak up right away, things can change the mood, the people around you-and even if you wanted to say something, the moment can pass, and you end up staying silent.

No wonder Sallie always said people who have trouble expressing themselves tend to overthink and are more sensitive.

He'd always assumed that just because he understood the mechanics of surgery, he could communicate effortlessly with Jessica, even though she couldn't speak.

But looking back, he realized he'd overlooked her feelings far too often, hardly ever paying attention to what she might be going through.

She might not be able to speak, but she had thoughts, she was flesh and blood like anyone else.

He really hadn't been attentive enough.

He'd change that.

Yates let go of Vince and studied Timothy. "You're zoning out. What's on your mind, Timothy?"

Timothy lifted his gaze. "I've been helping Vince look for his sister lately. I think there's still a real chance we'll find her. You're always saying you hate all that old- fashioned stuff, right? So why not break off the arranged engagement with the Zimmermans while she's still missing?"

won't hear of it. He says he'll only agree if I actually find someone to marry. If I get engaged and Salome still hasn't turned up,

find someone and

"You make

you'd have no shortage of women

this engagement. I'm not making that kind of trade. At the very least, I want someone I actually want to marry-and she

couldn't help

family took the engagement too seriously anymore. His mother had even. hinted to Mrs. Bryant that the whole arrangement could

They'd always said that if Yates found someone he wanted to marry, the engagement would be off

stayed

for years, and they were still

still single and

a dramatic sigh. "I'll have to put up a fight, but if

chair, dissatisfied with the answer. He didn't dare press further-Vince was sharp, and the more he said, the more he risked giving

one to Yates. "Still stuck with that engagement,