Love Beyond the Mask by Adelaide Sinclair

"Ms. Turner, is that really how you feel?" Gary's sharp gaze softened just a little.

Whitney frowned deeply, noticing the way Shane looked at Sandy-like he could crush her with a glance.

But Sandy, oblivious or simply stubborn, stood her ground. She cast a brief, startled look at furious Shane, then dropped her eyes and spoke softly, "Yes. I don't want to marry Mr. Nelson.

Finding out I'm Tina's mother so suddenly has thrown my whole world upside down. The memories I've lost make Mr. Nelson feel like a stranger to me. You can't force love-it doesn't work that way.

Mr. Nelson, I don't remember the past four years. You're asking if I still have feelings for you?

I'm sorry, but I just don't know anymore."

She'd answered him honestly-her heart was cold as ice.

Shane let out a bitter laugh, his jaw clenched as he stared at her pale, determined face. "You say you can't force love? So who is it you'd rather marry? Silas? Are you blind, Sandy? With that attitude, I doubt you're much of a mother to Tina either. If you don't want to marry me, then don't even bother coming to see your daughter!"

his angry outburst, her eyes

son's intimidating tone. "Shane, that's not fair— these

hearing her daddy say her mommy couldn't visit anymore, burst into loud

mad she won't marry you, but honestly, what did you expect? You just dropped this bombshell on her this morning and now you want her to say 'I do' by lunch? If it were me, I'd

talking, you're only making it worse. If you keep this up, you'll push her so far away she'll never come back-and then you'll

good enough," Shane growled, his dark eyes burning as his chest heaved under his

marry someone who tried to strong-arm me either. You practically tricked her into this. If you really love her, you need

have a child together, and she's accepted that. What

as they were, finally seemed to

at Sandy,

so hurt made his chest ache. Maybe he shouldn't have threatened her

was too proud to

turned to look at