Coope

an expensive restaurant at the top

private room with

covered with empty glasses, the wreckage o

air left for me a

lone, sat a wooden folding stool

th a dinner knife. "The waiters are slow tonight. When

stool and s

ngers at me across t

bring the

ded over the velvet box with

the lid, and let out a s

Your little girlfriend

his mouth and scrolled his phone

d stood, tapping a silver sp

ced, glowing with self-importance. "I have someth

"Oh, Kellan! Did the ne

llan smiled and glance

ritable foundation, I came acr

ive pass away recently, leaving behind a

. Social services are currently l

at Cassie and I

wo full seconds. Then Eff

ood heart! Taking in a child w

with his napkin. "This is providence.

ng tall, arranging himself into

d needs constant c

'll hand in yo

, keep the house, and raise N

to step out of the shadow of t

job and become a free full-time nanny for t

change his daughter's diapers so Kins

my throat. My f

thing, Kellan," I said f

y, plainly delighted by how agreeable I was being. "

spear of asparagus. "After everything she has

e check in a leather folder a

dred and twe

oying with an earring. "We're goin

from the stool. "The company is in the middle of an interna

waved a hand magnanimously

ll get it. Cassie can

ng on their coats, treating me like

turned around

street, flagged a cab, and rode b

was silent

shell suitcase o

y birth certificate, and the sapphir

, the big television, the clothes Kell

g room and stood at t

copy of the claims file, Kinsley's nam

had taken through the window of

round her waist, and three-year-old Nora sits

n platinum band off

pushpin from

l point went through the band and pu

e photograph, pinning the wh

up the suitcase, and walk

e key. I put it i

dor behind me, the

his spare key and open it, the way

aph on the table, and th

and hear that the num

never fin