“Now you’ll never marry my son!” my mother-in-law laughed, setting my wedding dress on fire. I wiped my tears, smiled coldly, and said, “Enjoy destroying that dress, because the wedding was never the real trap.” Her face went completely pale when I made one quick phone call…

the ashes to build a city.”

Later that evening, as we stood on the museum terrace nursing gin and tonics under a canopy of stars, Jason’s phone vibrated violently against his chest. He pulled it out, read the screen, and his jaw locked.

“It’s Dad,” Jason murmured, his thumb hovering over the glass. “Mom is driving back to Cleveland. She has formally continue reading …