"What are you thinking about?"


    Remington was puzzled by Lizetta''s sudden distraction. He lifted her chin gently, searching her eyes for an answer.


    Noticing a drop of water clinging to the corner of her lips, he brushed it away with his thumb-soft, lingering. The feather-light touch sent a shiver down Lizetta''s spine, snapping her back to reality. She shook her head, pushing away the thoughts that had crept in.


    If they were going to make this work, she needed to start trusting him more. She couldn''t keep letting old wounds fester-couldn''t let the shadows cast by Evelina and Ste cloud her judgment.


    She shook her head again and said, "It''s nothing. You went to visit the Miller family —was it because those videos and rumors were all Margaret''s doing?"


    Remington took the ss from her hand, but didn''t answer right away. Instead, he tipped his head back and drank deeply, as if he''d been parched for hours. Half the water was gone in a few swallows. Lizetta''s gaze traced the line of his neck, the way his Adam''s apple moved with each gulp-unintentionally alluring.


    And then she noticed where his lips met the rim of the ss-right over the faint imprint of her own lipstick. Her breath caught, a flutter of something unspoken rising between them. Was he doing this on purpose, teasing her in his subtle way?


    "It wouldn''t surprise me if Margaret was behind it," he finally said, voice low. "We''ve been at odds ever since the whole thing with Yoli. But honestly, without Ste''s cooperation, I doubt those videos and photos would''ve ever surfaced.”


    Lizetta could guess easily enough who was pulling the strings. Still, Remington had promised to handle it, so she hadn''t pressed for details. Part of her wanted to see if he''d actually catch Margaret or if Ste would manage to slip through his fingers yet again.


    She looked at him, a faint, skeptical smile ying at her lips. Her eyes held a glimmer of judgment, a trace of doubt she couldn''t hide. Once bitten, twice shy. Remington''s past with Ste had left its mark; Lizetta wasn''t about to let herself trust so easily again.


    Remington sighed softly and


    reached out to ruffle her hair. "My clever fiancée. You sit here at home and already have everything figured out." He smiled, his tone warm "Turns out, it really was Ste who orchestrated the whole thing ard


    pushed Margaret into it. Margaret''s


    already confessed."


    Lizetta met his gaze and gave a soft, skeptical little hum. "So, what are you going to do about it?"


    "Mr. Miller''s sending Margaret away-marrying her off out of town. At least for now, she won''t be causing any more trouble around Zion City. Does that oue meet with Ms. Madden''s approval?"


    Lizetta couldn''t help but feel


    ???


    satisfied. Margaret had never been the type to behave herself, but Lizetta wasn''t scared of her. The only real worry was that Margaret might turn her attention backto Ynda Knowing Ynda she never admit if Margaret bullied her.


    Last time, Lizetta had only found out because things got out of hand.


    But now, with Margaret gone for good, she didn''t have to worry about her causing


    trouble for Ynda anymore.


    "I''m satisfied. What else?"


    Her real concern was Ste.


    Remington seemed to know it, too. Instead of answering, he shifted closer, stretching out his arms and bracing them on either side of the headboard, trapping Lizetta between his chest and the bed. He gazed down at her, a mischievous smile dancing in his eyes.


    “If you''re this satisfied," he said, "maybe you should reward your future husband."


    He tilted his head toward her, unmistakably angling for a kiss, his eyes fixed on her lips with yful intent.