ched on the gravel o

t expect

essed in a way Mia had

ve, sha

the woman' s v

d instinctively wen

Ashford. Etha

. Not

" over months of his amnesia, his

t invitation, her eyes scanning the s

s regained

who had carved her a wooden bluebird

a sleek leather purse.

hundred thous

on Mia' s simp

you ever knew Ethan. He has a life, a fi

the check, the

ng, crushing her chest. But

se

ed up th

a payoff, Mr

a perfectly s

Oh

. For the food, the shelter, the medical care I provided

gaze wa

me and my resourc

gave a thin, h

ct him. You will not interfere. His wedding to Victoria S

like slaps. S

"I understand my p

ive heels clicking on the wooden floor. "Th

aving Mia alone with the chec

ha

Ethan A

the check fluttering

ly focused on weather and park event

charismatic, his arm around a beauti

the upcoming Ashfo

driving a rare vintage sports car, an early wedding present from the groom. And sources say she wi

rts car. A di

ck, where a simple, hand-carve

had carved

a," he' d said, his eyes full

iss. He' d even talked about a ring, a pro

t had f

had era

lip of Ethan speaking at some ev

d on her, who had loved her simple cabin, who had

ound him. The confusion in his eyes

horror, the memo

d at Mia, h

I... I do

ept in, all effic

en whisk

a terse, formal

omplicated. The time we spent together was a result of my co

gned with love. J

issal. He had called her

as not good enou

check. Five hundre

er seen. More than her parents h

t buy bac

ar away from here. Far away from E

up, her ba

ould

lp people who truly needed it. People who wouldn'

, she heard the distant sounds of the park staff at the

ve, gossipy. She imagined they were already talking about t

t to a small town in the Colorado Rockies she'

the ticket

as Ethan and Victori

her eyes fo

ebird w

d her own happine