We were less than ten minutes into our ride when I insisted Christian find a place for me to use the restroom since I'd missed my opportunity at Chicky's.

Afterward, I climbed back into my SUV and decided we were in dire need of a change of subject and mood. I tried to lighten the tension by suggesting another game. Only this time, my motives were slightly different. Up until now, I was under the impression that everything Christian had done had been purely selfish on his part. When he admitted that he intended to let Sal's comments slide for me, I sensed a shift in my feelings about our situation. For some reason that I couldn't fathom, I wanted to share a nugget of truth with Christian about my family. I'd been willing to do it when I'd made the offer to answer any question, and he'd caught me off guard by asking about Lucas.

"Tell me something nobody else in the world knows," I coaxed.

He looked over at me, and I gave him a sincere smile. He pulled the edges of his mouth into a wide grin that caused my skin to tingle. I expected him to insist that I go first so I was totally surprised when he asked, "Do you have any memories of us playing wedding when we were kids?"

Yeah, I thought. I even mentioned it in one of my letters. Instead of going down that road again, I nodded and let my mind drift back to that innocent time.

"Let's get married by the water fountain this time," I told Christian.

"Why?" he asked as he returned the ring to his pocket and scooted into the tube that would eventually deliver us to the ground.

"Because I'm thirsty," I replied. I gave him a shove and jumped in behind him.

After taking turns at the fountain, we made our way to a small shaded area, waving to our mothers as we went. Still within their protective view, Christian yanked his white T-shirt over his head and handed it to me. The first time we played wedding, we got some help from Aunt Christy who showed us how we could turn a shirt into a makeshift bridal veil.

While I tucked my hair up under Christian's shirt, he picked some flowers that may or may not have been weeds.

The wedding preparations were complete, and it was time to take our vows.

"Some," I admitted. "I remember you showed me a ring with a huge blue stone. I think you said you got it out of one of those claw machines."

I watched him nod and then say with a laugh, "It was a big gaudy thing, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, I think it was," I agreed. "I'm sorry I don't remember what became of it," I sadly confessed. Recalling my earlier question, I prodded, "You were supposed to tell me something that nobody else in the world knows but you."

"I was getting to that. It took me a couple of years to figure out we weren't really married."

I busted out laughing and he quickly added, "Give me a break, I was only six."

I twisted around in my seat and leaned back against the door, thoroughly enjoying the playful side of Christian. He'd left Florida without permission and that nagged at me, but I couldn't deny the thrill I felt that Abby was his half sister, and not a girlfriend. Or that he'd not given Tina from Chicky's a second glance. Or that he was going to let Sal's racist statements slide because he didn’t want to get in a brawl that could’ve separated us. And that’s when it occurred to me that the looks I’d seen being thrown Christian’s way at the store held the same disdain as Sal’s remarks. I'd wondered if the comments were aimed at Christian because he was Native American or because his skin was so much darker than mine. Or maybe a little bit of both. Ignorant idiots.

"Your turn." His deep voice rumbled, gaining my full attention. His voice alone made me borderline giddy.

"My mom found Grizz's real family and they live just a few hours away in North Carolina." There. I said it. I shared a truth about myself. It was as if a yoke had been lifted from around my neck and I suddenly felt lighter.

"Your mother lives in North Carolina?" he asked. Even though I was staring at his profile, I could see his brow crease in question.

"No!" I answered louder than I'd intended. "But she thought it was important that I establish a relationship with them since Grizz was my biological father and they are really the only extended family I have. It's one of the reasons I go to school in South Carolina. I can spend weekends with my cousins and grandfather. His name is Micah."

I sucked in my breath, worried that I may have gone too far. But I was pleasantly surprised when Christian showed only mild curiosity, asking me how much they knew about Grizz's past, what they thought of it, and were they sorry he’d died on death row before they could meet him.

After giving him the best explanation I could, I closed with, "My grandfather was humbled when my mother and James gave my little sister the middle name Frances. It was Grizz's mother's name."

"Your little sister?" Christian interrupted.

"Yeah, Ruth Frances." A beat passed and I added, "I told you in my letters about Ruthie and Dillon."

"Dillon?" He sounded confused and I saw his forehead crinkle.

"Christian. You said you remember everything. How could you not remember that I mentioned in at least one of my letters that my mother and James had twins? A boy and a girl."

He looked over at me and there was no hint of recognition in what I'd just revealed about the twins. I knew instantly that he'd never received my letters.

"Tell me what it said,” he demanded.

“What what said?”

“The letter I sent you. What did it say, Mimi?”