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Afterward, while she dried off and blow-dried her hair, he went downstairs and made her hot chocolate with real whipped cream She slipped into the fluffy bathrobe he left out for her, and they crawled into his bed He’d turned on the fireplace in his bedroom and it arm and toasty, so the last of her chills had dissipated

She sat cross-legged in thefoolish for her childish tantrum earlier

"Why do you continue to put up withthe hot chocolate "You’re a challenge, Lizzie I do like a challenge"

"I’iant problem for you"

He handed her cup back "Yeah"

She laid the cup on the nightstand, took off the robe, and slid under the covers with hihts and opened the drapes The stor left was the low thunder and occasional lightning The rain had lightened to just a patter against the French doors of the balcony

He pulled her against hiainst his chest and stared outside

"I think you’re worth fighting for, Elizabeth Even if I’ you for you"

She didn’t knohat to say to that

No one had ever fought for her before

She didn’t think she orth it

FIFTEEN

"THAT WAS ONE HELL OF A HOME RUN IN ATLANTA THE other night, son The entire bar erupted in cheers We sold a lot of beer after you hit that grand slarinned as he helped his dad loosen so hit"

He’d co road trip to help his dad with so over the laer, trying to reet that one in the back, and then we can get these wheels off"

Gavin dug in and cranked the wrench,a litany of curses in his head when the rusty bastard wouldn’t budge Finally, it gave and he got the nutthe sweat froet a neer? This beast has to be older thanout the old shit It still works Just needs a tune-up"

"It needs a burial You could get a riding mower Or one of those that are self-propelled"

His father’s face turned nearly purple as he pushed the wrench Gavin held his breath, waiting for his dad to collapse right there trying to get the rusty bastard to let go

"Godda needs soot up slowly froe "You kids just want to toss everything out as soon as it doesn’t work any hand"

"No, Jihost and needs to be traded in for a newer model"

Gavin looked up in thanks at his et a neer"

HisInof the world"

"Daet her fixed"

Gavin cast a pleading look at his et the iced tea I made You and your father look like you could use a drink"

He could kiss his ht back, Dad"

His father waved him off Gavin followed his mom into the kitchen and took a seat at the kitchen table

"What is his deal?"

She shrugged "I have no idea He’s always been fond of fixing things, but lately he’s got so the laer and the hacker, and he even found an oldair conditioner in the attic and has been futzing around with that, though I have no idea why"

"You have central air"

"Exactly" She threw her hands in the air "Maybe he’s planning to air-condition the garage I don’t have a clue"

He took the tea his ot to be it"

"If he’s bored, I have a whole list of projects that need to be done around here, starting with a new fence He ignores those and fiddles with stupid things"

"Well, those projects aren’t fun, Mouess And I don’t kno he could be bored There’s the bar"

"Jenna probably reat cooks and waitresses Dad probably feels like he’s in the way"

"Hht about that I don’t knohat to do about it, though"

"Just tell Jenna to give hi to keep hi here that interests hihed "I suppose so" She took a drink of tea and studied him

"What?"

"It’s nice to have you here"

He knehat thatwas on her mind "Go ahead Spill it"

She took a seat at the table "Mick came by and said he ran into you and Elizabeth"

So to come up "And?"

"You could have told "

"Do I ever discuss wo with you?"

"Elizabeth isn’t just one of the many women who parade in and out of your life, Gavin She’sElizabeth She’s practically fa on withit Mick said you were pissed at her"

She narrowed her gaze "He did, did he?"

"Yeah"

"About what happened with Tara and Nathan?"

"Yeah"

"Elizabeth apologized?"