Chapter 10

"It's just trash. Throw it out," Penelope said. Then, she tugged lightly on his sleeve and urged softly, "The food I made for you is getting cold. Come on, let's eat." Hearing that, Hayden couldn't help but smile and forgot all about the strange object. Penelope was a good cook, unlike Jacqueline. Her first attempt at cooking had sent both of them to the hospital. He could still remember her sheepish voice as she leaned against him, seeking comfort. "Maybe it wasn't my cooking that caused it." "What are you smiling at, Hayden?" Penelope's gentle voice pulled him back to the present. His smile vanished instantly. Hayden couldn't stand himself anymore. He found his constant lapses inexcusable. How was a man like him supposed to bring Penelope happiness? After dinner, he retreated to the study alone and began gathering everything related to Jacqueline. The letters he had written for her by hand, the beaded bracelet she'd given him, their Polaroid photos from a trip… and the engage