How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

Jarrod ignored her attempt to pull away; instead, his grip tightened, fingers fitting perfectly between hers.

"No," he said firmly.

Elodie frowned at him.

He met her gaze. "You don't have to bottle everything up. If you're upset, cry. If you want to blame someone, yell at me. I've got all the time in the world-I'll stay right here with you."

She'd only just woken up not long ago; her mind was still a bit foggy. Jarrod's attitude, though, left her dumbfounded. "This is a huge blow for me. I need time to process it. You should give me some space."

"Processing just means sitting alone, overthinking everything, right?" He looked her straight in the eyes. "If you can't have kids, then I can't either. We're both in this together, both a little unlucky. How about we just have a good cry together?"

Whatever emotion Elodie had been building up suddenly stalled out, derailed by his words.

Her beautiful eyes widened at him, but she couldn't get a word out.

Jarrod hooked her pinky with his and kept rubbing it gently, his voice unhurried. "Maybe I should just get a vasectomy, too. That way we're a matching pair, huh?" For a second, Elodie wondered if he was completely out of his mind.

"This isn't something you joke about."

"When have I ever made careless jokes with you?" His voice was calm and clear, not a hint of hesitation or mockery.

whole train of thought into chaos. She didn't even

She glared at him.

one hand on the edge of her bed, never taking his eyes off her. "That way, you wouldn't have

Elodie a long moment to find her voice. "Jarrod,

you think I have to be with you?" she

just smiled, unfazed by her protest. He leaned back

grabbed his hand to stop him. "What are you

не

Showing you my scars. nearly kicked the bucket, you know. Don@you think you owe me a

so shocked by his shamelessness

of her grasp and took her hand in his instead. "What did you think I was doing, undressing for some other reason? Is your mind really going there? Did you think I was trying to seduce you

stared at

ignored his teasing. Looking at him seriously,

this isn't something you can just

silent for a moment, meeting her gaze. His Adam's apple bobbed as

asked, "Elodie, could

froze, her soul trembling under the

1.n

try again 'll admit, I've always