CHAPTER 80

CARMEN

“Is that why I’m here, then? You want me to help Steve – to get him out of the mess he doesn’t even know he’s in with Mom?” I asked, and my father smiled at me, silently telling me that I was right in my guesses.

“I know that you haven’t gotten yourself trapped in your mother’s hands. You being here is a perfect way for me to know that,” he said. “Knowing her, I would know that the last thing she would want is for you to come here.”

“You know I’m married, don’t you?” I asked, and he froze as tension hit him.

“I didn’t think we would be talking about that this soon. I am truly sorry that I didn’t get to see you walk down the aisle. How is your marriage to…” He stopped, not knowing what Jasper’s name was or not remembering it.

“Jasper,” I said, and he nodded.

“How is your marriage to Jasper?” he asked me, a hopeful smile on his face as he waited for me to say something dreamy with my head in my hands, but I watched his smile fade as he soon started to realize that it was not the