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Whirling away frohter around her and placed her other hand over her heart It beat a ht hed "I wanther back, exposing a circular scar on her shoulder blade

Unable to help hiet the day this happened"

"Me neither It hurt like all get out," she said with a sniff

Sage had fallen on a floating log while knee boarding with her cousins on the Pa then, but he’d al into the water to get to her hadn’t been a second thought, or a regretful one Not even when his cousins were catcalling hi her while she cried and bled all over his hand had nearly made him cry, too, as they waited for her cousin’s boat to turn back around to get her A temporary truce had been brokered that day between the Morales’ and Caswells, as they worked together to get theency room

A week later he worked up the nerve to ask her out It had taken a little over three weeks before she’d said yes And only teeks more to realize he was crazy about her Only a month more to realize he’d found the woman of his dreams

"You saved me," she added

That he had "I need you to save e I’ve brought all s isa life here, with you I want babies and t-ball games…and ballet lessons I want you to yell atrow old with you and drive real slow on Sunday afternoons "

"I need more time, Joaquin," she whispered

It wasn’t what he wanted to hear, but she hadn’t said no "You can haveho with my parents," he said "Then we’ll decorate the tree…Hell, we’ll finish decorating the house like we’re the Griswolds"

She bent her head, dark red strands falling forward, exposing the nape of her neck An eternity seemed to pass before she turned to face him Grey eyes soft like rain "Guess I’ll need to tell my parents, too"

"My parents already know," he ad?"

"It’s part of the reason they disowned rabbed his hand "Why didn’t you tell me?"

He made a face "I did, in my first letter to you, remember?"

"Not really" Pain sliced his heart like a knife "But Ihis head to the side, he asked, "Is that why you keep all of the to the floor "No," she whispered "I got the his jaw, he fought to remain calm "Like I said, I’ll be back later I’ll text you when I’ain"

She shook her head "It’s the sae and pain he felt, he kissed the top of her head and left the rooht

Joaquin barely s and kisses fro to hilish

Jesus, he e

"My baby!" Mariela charged through the group, throwing her arms around his neck while she sobbed "I’m sorry I’m so, so sorry"

Guilt and relief flooded hi to her, hated that she’d worried, but in his mind, she’d chosen to side with his father- his stubborn, hard-head father

He tightened his arms around his ruff Da like a five year-old

She pulled away, inspecting him from head to toe, her brown eyes liquid and filled with everything he was feeling Her hands shook as she touched his face "You look older…still , she patted his arm "Too skinny Let’s eat"

"Let me see my son," Juan boomed and the crowd parted like the Red Sea His father strode up to him, proud and pompous as usual Joaquin braced for the lecture and the insults That he wasn’t welcome at this house, the car dealership, yes, but never here

Joaquin ticked up his chin "I’e Caswell"

To his utter shock, his dad’s face cruive me, por favor"

Unable to eful part of hio screw hiiveness Too little, too late But the larger part of him, the part of him that his parents had instilled deep in his heart, and had been honed in the Army knehen to show mercy

His father had bent; Juan Morales had sed his pride first A feat Joaquin thought he’d never see

"I’ his dad’s hand and pulling hih to seat twenty, but histables It was a how easily he slipped back into the role of the doted upon son His mother fixed his plate, his drink, and if he had let her, would have cut up his enchilada

"Where’s your wife?" Juan asked "Shouldn’t she be here celebrating, with her husband and faer Juan "Leave him alone" Then she patted Joaquin’s cheek "Eat up, niño"

"It’s okay" He speared a bite of chicken and green chilies "She’s talking to her parents, papá " Not wanting to hurt their feelings, he didn’t add that he wasn’t sure how she’d be treated here "We plan on decorating our house tonight"

"Decorating?" his cousin s it now days?"

Carmen smacked Roberto on the back of the head "Manners"

Joaquin bite back a grin at the couple "I should take you out back, Berto, for telling Sage"