i had the happily ever after . . . until it was gone. three became two. and i was alone. our time-my time-was over. alone was the right way to be. the only way. life was me, my son, and my memories. until the day i met someone who turned my lonely existence upside down. this man made me smile, made me laugh, made me ache for his touch. but i couldn't. he shouldn't awaken feelings i resolved to bury with my husband. but he did. i couldn't let his presence make my heart race. i couldn't let him into our little world, where he fit so perfectly. i couldn't want nick. but i did. i rescued people. my family relied on me to lend a hand. everyone thought of me as the fixer, but no one had the first clue how to fix me. until ellie. the freckled beauty's sorrow was like a well-worn shirt-easy and familiar, difficult to part with-and she wore it comfortably. and though i was hers from the moment our eyes first met, she'd never be mine. i loved her in the here and now, but how did i compete with a ghost? how can there ever be anyone after you?