MARISSA VANDERSON
"I'm only twenty-eight," muttered Dane.
Marissa jabbed him with her elbow. "Look, Janey. See the lines around his eyes? The graying hair? Soon, his gut will start to sag. His muscles will turn to mush. He'll go bald."
"Eeeew."
Marissa thought the tiny blood vessel pulsing in Dane's forehead was going to explode, but she pressed on. He couldn't know the fragility of a young girl's self-esteem. Better that Janey walked away from him than face his rejection. "You'll be in the prime of your life. Do you really want to take care of a doddering old man?"
"No." Janey swiped her tear-streaked face. "He's so nice to me. He treats me with respect. He's good-lookin' right now."
Marissa silently agreed. "It's not really fair, though. How do you think he'll feel walking around with a gorgeous young woman? Ten years is a whole, entire decade. He'll watch you grow more beautiful as he gets older, grayer...fatter."
