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She continued to spend a great deal of ti Mac and Gina with the kids’ activities She wouldn’tAnd there were also her girlfriends, who she was enjoying even more lately because they envied her

SheMac, Gina and the kids at the gaer’s and Carrie asked her, "What’s the best part about s I worried about are happening"

"Like?" she pushed

"I thought theretoward sixty-two and have never been ht’ve shared a house with Mac and the kids, but I had et under ht annoy him"

"I can see that," Ray Anne said a little spitefully

Lou flashed her a small s friends "He adores me," Lou said

Ray Anne leaned an elbow on the bar and put her head in her hand "Why can’t I have soht?"

Lou put her hand over Ray Anne’s and frankly, she didn’t understand it herself Ray Anne was perpetually sexy with her boobs, tight skirts, jeans and heels But she said, "Because you have sinned and youto the gas in the deli came early for Carrie--she rarely stayed out late

"I can stay for the game," Ray Anne said "And for your inforh Are we ready?"

As usual, a band played on the field, the women found their usual spot, reserved by Mac and Gina, Cooper and Sarah, Austin and Devon and Mercy The stands were teeirls, Eve and Ashley, were down on the field with the other cheerleaders, war up the crowd

"I think it’s time for us to have a sky box," Lou said

"Put it on your Christ was that she had everything she’d ever iest, close, hugging her and asked her if she ar as the teah school footballwin, Lou was saying good-night to friends and fa toward Coquille to a little house on Bayberry Road

She walked into the kitchen through the garage He’d left the light under the microwave on for her and she would leave it on for hi where she was supposed to be After all the years either on her own or with Mac’s family, she was really home

Lou had certain rituals She put on her pajamas, texted Joe to say she was home, sat on the bed with the TV on and a book in her lap When she was at Mac’s she hid in her roo all day and dealing with nieces and a nephew after school till almost bedtime, she needed a little tiht was off by eleven-thirty and she dozed, but at twelve-thirty she heard hi out of his trooper uniforht he was too handso and here they were He got down to nothing--forget paja nude

He curled around her and she wiggled against him He chuckled deeply

"So, you are awake," he said "Good" He gave her shoulder a tug and she was on her back

"Lotta bad guys tonight?" she asked

"Two idiots and a few dipshits Uneventful" Then he kissed her "Mrin against her lips "Let’s get you naked"

"I ht Then sleep naked"

She touched his shoulder "I’m kind of surprised by this," she said "I was a little afraid ouldn’t work I’ve never shared space with a lover Never I wondered if I’d get claustrophobic or maybe drive you crazy"

"You do driveoff her pajamas "We have tomorrow off"

"Do you have Aunt Lou duties?"

She shook her head "Of course, it’s always possible so as they don’t call before six," he said He never corown children, he had his own to think about

"As far as I can recall, you’re the only person in ave a shrug "Because I love all of you And I’m a dahter, seventeen-year-old Ashley Ja when her ht him out in search of medical history from his side of the family Oh, he’d been hteen years ago, but his life had taken a bad turn at about that sa fool he had been, he’d never confirnant or that she’d chosen to have the baby He rationalized that if he’d been Gina, pregnant with such a loser’s baby, he probably wouldn’t have taken the chance

ButGina had brought their child to life and raised her, and had done an a job with just the help of her hter’s entire childhood, but he could see very clearly that she’d probably turned out so well because he hadn’t been involved Seerow up than it had taken Gina

He was due to pick up Ashley at noon at her new residence, the McCain household Gina and Mac had married and combined families and Ashley seemed to be very happy He’d offered to take her to lunch and a little shopping in Bandon School had just started and he wanted to contribute a little so Like school clothes Gina was okay with that idea, except "Don’t throw a lot of money around, please," she had asked "We’ve always lived on a tight budget and it works for us I’d rather you be generous with your ti bucks, so that wasn’t going to be a proble his own business Then everything in his life started to change, and it felt like a chain reaction had begun His relationship had fallen apart and he was on his own again His auto body and restoration shop had grown successful and sonore There was a small service station with potential that had been for sale for months in Thunder Point and he had come to look it over For the second tio lived here He liked the idea that he could see araduated But he wasn’t sure Ashley, or Gina for that h everyone had settled into their lives, having the biological father show up could really bring attention to the fact that Ashley had been born out of wedlock And her father was an ex-con