Regretting The Wife He Threw Away

Stewart had pulled stunts like this more times than anyone could count over the past five years.

Briony turned to Irwin and said, "Call your mom."

Irwin mumbled an "Okay," and dialed Rosita.

No answer.

"Neither of them is picking up!" James snorted in disgust. "Bet they're off together, up to no good."

Briony's expression turned cold as she glanced toward the river, where sky lanterns were starting to drift upward. Worry gnawed at her.

James, guessing she was thinking about Julia and wanting to go release a lantern for her, offered, "Why don't you go on ahead with Hannah and the others? I'll stay here with him and wait for Stewart."

Briony shot him a grateful look. "Thank you."

"Oh, don't get all sentimental," James said, tugging Irwin gently by the arm. "Go on, before the crowd gets too thick and you can't get through."

He was right—as the evening wore on, the riverside would get packed, and it wasn't safe for her, not while she was pregnant.

Briony left with Hannah and the others to join the crowd by the river and release their lanterns.

She didn't look back at Irwin-not even once. She didn't take the lantern he'd bought for her, either.

Irwin stared at the little lantern in James's hand, feeling a pang of disappointment.

and both his parents would walk him down to the river to float

this year, his dad had gone off to be

left him behind, choosing to release a lantern on

cartoonish lantern in his hands, his

fell, soaking into the

was always so well-behaved, so sensible. Why was

it true-did his mom really have a

if she did, would she ever

...

packed, a sea of

Lydia's help, Briony managed to release a sky lantern. She watched it drift upward, glowing against the night sky until it became just

will see it. She'll know you're

long, steadying breath. "The crowd's getting bigger.

"Sure."

and Black's family had arrived too; they said their goodbyes and went off to

nowhere else to be after

forcing Briony and Hannah to slow

away, James maneuvered past a cluster of people

the crowd with a worried frown.

nodded. "We were just

you safe," James said, stepping to her side and extending his arm