"Mason..."

Her voice was pitiful and choked up. "I never meant to cause you trouble. But I have no family left. If you can't stay with me, we'll have to trouble Mom to take care of me. I just can't bear being alone right now without anyone close by."

"Even though it's a minor injury, I'm really scared."

"You know how much I hate being alone in hospitals."

Irene had returned to the country because her grandfather was critically ill.

She'd spent most of her ...