A thin wall of clouds filled the morning sky. Emily shoved her hands into her heavy coat pockets as Mac tied a rope to secure her belongings in the back of Brad’s pickup truck. Emily’s throat and chest ached as if she’d swallowed her heart whole; furious at whatever twisted fate had ripped the carpet right from under her. She wanted nothing more than to be loved, deeply. It hurt so much to realize this dream had been flushed right down the toilet. Emily pulled at the hem of her brown coat. Wanting nothing more than to hurry and get the hell out of here—and at the same time needing to see Brad one more time.
Emily sensed someone watching her. She glanced up at the white sheer curtain as it fluttered in the closed upstairs window. She could still feel the heat of burning hatred.
This morni
