rine'

n the runway, my mind racing to build a

was-the pampered Vitale daughter-and he was pursuing her to gain access to

It was pathetic. But it was better than t

glanced at it and let out a

ht attendant appeared beside us carrying a slim velvet box on a tra

abella. "A gentleman in economy asked

ught the cabin lights and threw them back, diamonds set in a line of white gold t

hether he might be permitted to return to bu

hink about it. Then she gave a slow, grac

Ma'am, since the cabin is full, the gentleman has offered a courtesy of fifty thous

housand

ed. Not becaus

he supposedly didn't have, being thrown around like loose chan

ame out steady, which surprise

of surprise. "That easy? Fifty g

See, this is your problem, Cat

ea what I'm ab

ched the curtain at the front of the cabin, my heart slam

, and Marco st

h. A jacket I'd never seen, cut close, expensive. He'd gotten a h

already reaching to loosen his collar, playin

he sa

or drain out of it. Watched his feet stop dead in th

athed. "What- what

d before I could think about it, I threw it. The wine hit him square, splashi

said. "Happy e

iet. A woman two rows

t was heaving, heat crawling

h me?! You watched me sit there doing the math in five different apps

that he'd fall apart. Beg. Explain. Gi

ck of his hand. And when he looked at me, t

ine, ca

lin

e, I realized, but for himself. "We're on a plane. People are watching. Don

bin seemed t

barrass

id not recognize the man in front of me. This stranger with wine dripping off his jaw, more worried abou

ome home from the office. All the meals I'd stretched to cover two people on one s

d this.

rs of my life to a

Her eyes darted between us, wide and calcula

nd her mouth fell open. "You two-she's the

fury, there was still a piece of me that wanted to pro

. Marco is the man I've been with for six years. The one I t

The apology. The siste

sighed, like I was being tiresome. Like I'd

bracelet box shut in her lap. "T

opped out fr

use

ou have, whatever you want-it comes to me. That's how it's always been. The clothes, the attention, Mom and Dad

dn't b

r, handed things to my whole life without ever being asked, because I tho

ollar consolation prize, telling me to step aside

-bitter, burning at

't even starte

ready made

hetic performance of a family loyalty

one. Al

want any