How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue

"No, she's just been in her room, calling friends and relatives, bragging about how beautiful her great-granddaughter is and inviting them over to visit."

Jarrod strode over and stood behind Elodie, gently unwrapping the towel from her hair. He began to pat her hair dry, careful and methodical.

Elodie adored her hair. She pampered it obsessively, refusing to use a hairdryer because she believed it damaged the strands. Instead, she always took the time to carefully towel it off and let it air-dry, no matter how troublesome.

The memory of the old lady's gleeful face made Elodie smile to herself.

By now, she was used to Jarrod helping her dry her hair. Back when they'd first gotten married, he'd done it often-she hardly had to lift a finger.

So she let him continue, turning her attention to the assortment of creams and serums she was applying to her face.

"My vacation's only a few days," Jarrod said, voice gentle but steady. "The board's assigned me a project and I have to see it through, so in a few days I'll need to fly out again, tie up the loose ends. But this time, it'll be less than a month before I'm home."

That was what he said.

Still, Elodie glanced at the sleeping Nadia, her heart aching.

She hated the thought of leaving Nadia behind. But her work was her duty-and more than that, it mattered. She was building a vital bridge between two countries; she had to hold it steady.

Home would have to wait.

Jarrod understood the heavy weight of her responsibility.

He admired her passion for her career, and of course he supported her.

was sitting in could spin, so he turned her to face him. Leaning down, hands braced on the armrests, he studied her up close. "You'll miss

close that Elodie had to tilt her

course I'll miss her. But I can't let personal feelings

his fingers on the

"What?"

"Will you miss me?"

expression dignified yet with a hint of mischief. Trying

stroked his chin. "You'll survive. I

gave her a look of exaggerated

innocently at him. "What? We're an old married couple, Jarrod. It's not like we're newlyweds

in her eyes. With a sly grin, he slipped his arm around the back of her neck and pulled her closer. "Ms. Thorne, you know I'll do anything

hand against his chest, feigning composure. “Mr. Silverstein, I think you need to

sleeping Nadia on

wouldn't look away from her

"Yes?"

we book

him

Was he crazy?

only made Jarrod chuckle. He found her

down to kiss her-once, then again, lingering a

a touch, but it carried a

underestimated how much he wanted her-and overestimated

he moved in