Chapter 28

"What do you care?" Estel asked him scornfully. "I've got all the chapters you've done so far here in my room, and I plan to work on them later if that's what's worrying you."

Michael, it appeared, was gritting his teeth to prevent an equally angry response. He made an outward show of trying to calm himself by closing his eyes for a while. There was a sad acceptance in his gaze when he gazed at her once again. He drooped weary-eyed onto the sofa's end, prompting Estel to swiftly lift her legs out of his way. However, her look softened when Estel felt a little stab of anxiety at Michael's gesture of exhausted dispiritedness, which was so out of character for him. Maybe he indeed did have a sickness.

An instant later, however, as he raised his head and stared at her with deadly purpose, all doubt was removed. He responded, "All right, Estel," with determination. "I guess I have to apologize again."

Estel was skeptical of his attempt at reconciliation because his tone didn't seem contr