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Prologue

SAILORS, SOLDIERS AND AIRMEN lined the grave site A the differences in their dress uniforms The men in the dark blues stood at attention beside the ones in the bright whites Medals lined their chests, every single one

These men were Darren’s brothers, teamrave, made the truth undeniable Darren, the man she’d fallen head over heels in love with h school students, was not coain

Her chin dropped to her chest Freshly shined shoes stood in sharp contrast to the bright green grass She looked at her scuffed black flats, drawing her lower lip into her otten to polish her shoes

A into her palernails That had to count for soet about her shoes?

Maybe she’d worn the wrong pair She tried to think back to this ether She felt as if she’d spent a series of endless days, unable to sleep, fighting her way through a sea of pain, allowing herself to bury the truth

Standing here in her scuffed shoes, she couldn’t hide anymore

But falling apart surrounded by theseback her sobs, she closed her eyes, fighting the urge to run That wasn’t her She didn’t draw attention Darren’s place was in the spotlight—and hers aiting off to the side with a smile plastered on her face

Once upon a ti she wore only when leaving the house, not ether It was as if she’d set it aside the day those strangers in uniform had knocked on her door, their expressions lined with pity She’d put her smile in a closet and closed the door

Da her to face this alone!

Opening her eyes, Amy turned away from the burial She couldn’t do this, couldn’t watch SheAway Froly insurmountable, endless pain

She stu her

“I’ve got you” The familiar voice was a low steady rumble

“I can’t go back,” she whispered “I can’t”