Page 4 (1/2)

"I think that when you love soood heart, it shouldn’t ical parents are" My tone became very serious "So yes, if it came to it, I could love both of your children as my own very easily and I would take care of them as my own"

"Whoa, hold on there" Zane’s eyes narrowed "It seeht"

"No, not really I just think that people in general should beAnd that I could easily be a father to another ical father" I smiled at him weakly and then continued "Why can’t we all be open and loving to everyone?"

"Good point" Zane cleared his throat "I was hoping you’d say so like that because I would really like to knohat you know about Monored me in Paris"

"I …"

"I don’t want any bullshit answers froed "I’ve had about enough waiting to find out some answers"

"Zane!" Lucky ad up for hion I want to knohy Mo Noah has known the truth I’m done with secrets in this family" He turned away from Lucky and stared at me "You owe hts about life and fas would be in your ideal world I want to know the truth about our very real, un-ideal world, and I want to kno"

We stared at each other for a few moments and I wasn’t sure what to say I didn’t want to tell him the truth I knew the truth would hurt far uy Even if it er I didn’t want to risk hiain I could still picture the pain in his eyes when anyone asked hi boy crying in his bed when he thought no one was around I could still see the hope in his eyes when the doorbell rang and we still thought our ry, bitter et over the fact that we had been abandoned The ht in that trap And as I looked at him across the table with Lucky, his beautiful wonderful fiancée, as starting to show her pregnancy in her stomach and face, and I watched the open and easy love he had for her, I knew I couldn’t risk it I couldn’t risk hi back to his old self

"So tellto keep to yourself?"

"Hey, excuse htly embarrassed expression "Can you keep it down a bit?" She stared at me with an expression of curiosity

"Sorry" I nodded as I looked back at her with a blank expression as she attempted a saames No matter how beautiful they were

"I’m sorry about earlier I think I was a bit …" She blushed as she et about it It really doesn’telse you guys would like? You haven’t even gotten your--"

"Just the check, please" We stared at each other for another ht back" She hurried away and I watched her walk up to the counter to print out our receipt She had an air about her that was slightly er on it, but she was unique and had somehoormed her way into my already-overcrowded mind

"Don’t think this is over," Zane leaned towards me and whispered in a low voice "You may have been saved by the waitress this time, but next tihed "Please, just give it a break Okay" I pulled out so out of the booth "I’uys later" I hurried away from the table and I saw Robin turn around and watch me as I left the table I turned around to thank her as I exited, but a weird feeling filled me as we made eye contact, and I felt flustered and uncohtailing it out of the restaurant and walking down the street I needed to think and plan I knew that Zane was not going to let this rest And I also knew that I couldn’t allow him to know the truth But I didn’t want to lose him as well Not after Skylar; the pain that re her was still almost too much to bear

"Hey," I knocked on the study door and walked in without waiting for Zane to grantthe checkbook" Zane shrugged as he looked up at me froht Al to a sreat fun"

"I’reat love still being there and all"

"Sarcasm doesn’t suit you"

"I’m sorry that you think that" He turned back to his computer "I’m kind of busy"

"Is that a hint to leave?"

"I won’t stop you if you walk out the door" He started tapping on the keys in front of him and I walked over to the table

"Hey" I sat down in the dark any chair

"Yes?" He looked up at me in irritation

"Really?" I rolled a about"

"I know you’re ive ot back But this--this weird, rude sarcasm, this is not what I expected Shout at me if you must, scream, whatever Just don’t treat me like some random person you don’t know and don’t like"

"But I don’t really know you, do I?" He frowned at s You didn’t tellfor the FBI, you won’t tell me about our mom I mean, coht at his words and I stared into his blazing eyes with

"Do you think it was easy foryou? Do you think it didn’t keep ht? Do you think I didn’t want to call you every singlekilled me, Zane I wanted to tell you so badly"

"So why didn’t you? You told others Do you kno much that hurt rily "I--"