I didn't go home. I went to a small restaurant on the south side of town.
In my previous life, I'd worked until my stomach hurt and still begrudged myself the time for a hot meal. One call from Adrian had been enough to make me put down my fork and rush to the office. One plea from Vanessa could get me out of bed in the middle of the night to revise her gift list.
I'd made myself the solution to every problem the Whitmore and Collins families had. Whenever something went wrong, they used me to fix it.
The owner brought me a bowl of spaghetti. I was halfway through it when my phone rang. It was my mother.
The moment I answered, she launched into me.
"Why didn't you go to the Whitmores with Vanessa?"
"Why should I?"
"She's your cousin and their future daughter-in-law. What's wrong wit
