HE TOOK HIS FIANCÉE TO HIS POOR HOMETOWN TO TEST HER—BUT THE PAPER SHE HANDED HIM LEFT HIM TOO ASHAMED TO MEET HER EYES

look helpless. For bringing Lucia here like she was someone I needed to trick.”

Carmen took a slow breath.

“I wanted to slap you when you called,” she said.

A laugh almost escaped him, but the tears in his eyes stopped it.

“Why didn’t you?”

“Because I knew life would do it better.”

He lowered his head.

Carmen wiped her hands and turned toward him. “Do you continue reading …