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His brow furrowed "What?"

"Albert Schweitzer said it"

He rolled his eyes "You’re too senuinely "No one has ever called o? The spaghetti sauce?"

He chuckled "It means you’re welcome in Italian"

"Oh" She turned her attention back to the photo "Why don’t you have a picture of your mama?"

"I do, but they’re hard to look at"

Haven smiled softly "I bet she’s beautiful"

"Of course she is," he said playfully "She made me"

Vincent sat in the silent office for a ain He pushed a few things around and grabbed the sraph froes worn and iazed at the picture of his wife, his chest aching He desperately wished she were there because, out of everyone, she’d be able to tell hiht again Maura always had the answers, even if they were ones Vincent hadn’t liked to hear

Reaching into his shirt, he pulled out the chain that hung around his neck and absentold band It er He never had the nerve to take it off

Car room and sat across fro on the side with Haven, while Dominic and Celia sat near Carmine Vincent took the chair at the head of the table and bowed his head, saying his usual prayer

They told stories about past holidays, and Haven listened intently, absorbing every word Her eyes twinkled, a slanced around the table, it felt right, like they were supposed to be there That she belonged with him, with all of them, and some twist of fate had led her there

He didn’t care what she said--happiness was ood health and a poor memory Happiness was this It was her, and him, and that moment Fuck Albert Schweitzer He could kiss his ass Happiness was real

After dinner, Haven and Carmine headed upstairs to his roo through his hair as she pulled hiht off guard, but caved and walked her back to the bed Pulling off his shirt, he tossed it to the floor before lying down on top of her She rocked her hips, pressing into him Carh hi He wanted to consume her, to taste her flesh and explore her body And he wanted to fuck her, but he couldn’t She wasn’t a girl to be fucked She was a girl to be made love to, and as much as he wished he could, he didn’t kno

He pulled fro the yearn in his body "We need to stop"

"Stop?"

"Yes, stop" He hesitated--when the hell had he become the voice of abstinence? "We just, you know"

He didn’t know, but she nodded "Okay, Romeo"

"Romeo?"

"Like in Romeo and Juliet They come from different sides but ht?"

"Yeah, but we’re not killing ourselves, Haven, so that’s about as siets Besides, Romeo’s an idiot Pick someone else"

"How about Shrek?"

His brow furrowed "Shrek? Really? He’s an ogre"

"Shrek and Fiona thought they were different when they weren’t"

He conte his life to a cartoon "Pick another"

"Titanic? Rose and Jack weren’t supposed to be together"

"Seriously? He dies I’ her fingers across his abs and tracing his scar with her fingertips "How about we just be Haven and Car, but we can always hope for the best"

"I like that," he said "Besides, there’s a reason we don’t kno the story ends"

"Why?"

"Because it doesn’t"

25

Haven opened the dryer door and flung the wet clothes into it, listening as everyone chatted in the foyer Celia had a flight to Chicago in a few hours, and Dr DeMarco was going with her for a few days They were saying good-bye, so she’d slipped away and secluded herself in the laundry roo on faht tap from the doorway after a moment, and she turned to see Celia Haven stiffened when she wrapped her ar to know you"

"You too, o before Vincent coood-bye to you"

Haven was touched she cared so much "Good-bye, Celia"

Celia s away Haven turned back to the dryer, and Carmine strolled in after they left "Dia wants to knohat tio?"

"Of course Why wouldn’t you?"

"Well, your friends will be there I’ll probably just be a complication"

Truth was, it was New Year’s Eve, and she didn’t want to watch Carht

"Don’t ever call yourself a complication," he said "And yeah, I want you to come"