(BLACKWOOD'S ISLAND)

Franklin stared at the laptop screen like a man sitting in the ruins of his own life. His office was dim, curtains half-drawn, the only light coming from the harsh glow of the trending video playing over and over, Thalia and George's proposal video trending online.

He swallowed hard, pressing his thumb against the space bar to freeze the frame, her face in mid-laugh, eyes shining, cheeks flushed as George tucked her hair behind her ear.

Franklin leaned back in his ...