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"She’s been a good friend," Susan corrected "Through thick and thin, Paige has always been there for you" Now his foster e, rather than his wife, was the one who had stuck by hiood ti, I’m sure she’d love to come back to a white winter for another couple of days"

If it was just a white winter that would e happy, Evan could book her a weekend at a fancy spa resort in Lake Tahoe But what Paige loved es or fancy restaurants or ie would choose a weekend in Chicago with everyone over anything else he could offer This trip was soive her, a sreat rationalization

Because the truth he didn’t want to admit to anyone--especially hie Even if he couldn’t kiss her, couldn’t touch her when they ith his faether

He called Kelsey, Tony, and Theresa first Funny that calling Theresa felt easier than calling Paige Probably because he knehere he and Theresa stood Whereas with Paige…

Silently cursing his powerful desire for the one woman he could never have, Evan told his assistant to push back his next , then dialed Theresa’s number for the second ti, her voice tentative as she said, "Evan?"

"There are a couple of things I wanted to check in with you about First, I talked to Greg, and he won’t be bothering you any?" She was clearly shocked, her voice suddenly higher than nor you" He wouldn’t tell her that Greg had asked for money "But he was also on his third beer in the reed softly

Evan wanted to ask her how she could possibly pick yet another guy with a drinking proble away from her abusive, alcoholic husband How could she be so blind? How could she ain?

But he’d been blind with Whitney, hadn’t he? Marrying her had been the worst decision he’d ever ht have been even worse

So he understood a thing or two about bad decisions And turning his back on a woman in distress wasn’t a consideration He’d hold out his hand even to his worst eneiven his hand to his father if he’d asked for help, even after everything But his father had never asked

"Greg’s not your probleuy in the Modesto Police Department who’ll drive by your house occasionally

"Thank you, Evan You’re too good to me"

Her words--and how hard they hit hiot to the other reason he’d called But he wouldn’t disappoint Susan Not when his foster iven so much of herself to hier with a huge chip on his shoulder

"Susan wants to meet you and the twins"