When There Is Nothing Left But Love

“Are you saying that you’ve never tried to find out what happened to Macy back then?” I asked. My heart ached for Macy. If Jared really cared about her, why didn’t he even try?

The obvious answer was that he didn’t care. Otherwise, Jared wouldn’t have given up just like that. Not only had he never tried to look for Macy, he never even asked after her.

It made me even more fearful of handing Summer over to Jared.

He remained silent, biting his lip.

I’d calmed down. Looking at Jared’s troubled face, I vowed, “No matter what the Crests have planned for Summer, I will never give her up to you.”

I then stalked the rest of the way back to the table.

Ashton had been engaged in casual chit-chat with Joe. When he said me, he reached out in concern and asked, “What took you so long?”

“It’s nothing. Have you finished eating already?” We’d all gathered here today under the pretext of having dinner, but nobody had taken more than a few bites.

Ashton continued looking at me. “You’re not hungry?”

I shook my head vigorously. “Nope.”

Upon hearing this, Ashton pushed back his chair and stood up. Politely, he said to Joe, “It’s getting late. We’ll get going then.”

Obvious displeasure was written all over Joe’s face. He demanded, “Didn’t we agree to this get-together? Are you leaving before we’ve even gotten to say anything?”

firmly, hauling me along with him. Jared was smoking near the door. We passed each

the car. “Ashton, do you think it’s

the car. In a mellow voice, he asked, “Did Jared say anything to

“I just feel that whatever I do for

should tell Summer everything, all those times that Jared had visited her at the villa. But what would I tell an innocent child of four, five years old? What

was right. Summer would leave someday, eventually. But not

about this? Let Summer and the Crests get to acknowledge each other, but she continues to stay with us.

bigger family and more love showered upon her. She had nothing to

before

hesitation for agreement. “Of course!”

saw Ashton and me enter, she came running and flew into his arms. At her age, she was already rather

Summer announced, putting on an air of

contain his laughter, Ashton asked, “What

hiding it in the palm of her hand.

“Give

encased

of myself. Children often derived joy from the

her over to the sofa. Patiently, he asked, “Why did you suddenly

friend Dottie from school said that her uncle gave it to her aunt when they got married. It’s a lucky sweet! If you eat it, you can marry Mommy. Then I’ll have a Daddy as

her last

made