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Before she could say another word, the front door swung open Juggling three stuffed paper bags, Lillian Blake used her heel to close the door She shook her head in an atte, fat powdery snowflakes from her chestnut hair

Gavin ju over the coffee table as he dashed toward hisonto the tiled foyer floor Snatching the bags from her arms, he popped a kiss on her cheek "Hey, , she swooshed her hand through his hair "Yes Pretty heavily, too" On a sigh, she looked at Gavin, her eyes filled with love only a mother could hold "My baby boy, I’ve missed ya Next time you decide to take off on a teek vacation, could you think about calling the wo, Gavin shook his head "Moirlfriend’s sitting on the couch You’re dropping my sorthy factor by the second"

E her hand through his hair, she lifted a playful brow "Ah, that sorthy statement couldn’t be further from the truth"

"No?" Gavin questioned incredulously, the gleam in his eyes predatory "And how so?"

"Because any girl with a head on her shoulders knows ahis ht, Ereed

Gavin cocked his head to the side, a s his face "Well if that’s the case, just so you know, Emily, I did ask my dear mother to marry me once"

"Yes, when he was three," Lillian trilled, pulling her purse froave Gavin an endearing smile and cupped his cheek "I reeht there in the grocery store, he dropped to one knee and proposed"

E him turn the loveliest shade of crimson

"Yep The sorthy factor just dropped a few hundred notches," he confirrin as he slipped into the kitchen "I’h, gathering Emily into her arms for a warm embrace "So how’ve you been?" She unpeeled a crea her neck and dropped it onto the table After shi it in the closet, she turned to Emily "It’s been a while and a lot has happened I hope you’re doing well"

Unsure how much she knew about what’d happened with her, Gavin, and Dillon, E much better, thank you How’ve you been?"

"Good I’ve been busy building up the organization We’re trying to spread into New Jersey It looks like it h Eo see if ourto burn down the house"

Once again feeling a warh her liings were Where she lacked a father figure, Gavin was raised by a strong ood would prevail over any bad situation Though Emily’s mother was there as much as possible, Lillian had stayed hoh school Sure, Lillian’s situation was different since she’dh her battle with breast cancer, she never stopped trying to achieve a sense of norhts at opposite sides of life’s spectrum Now all Eether for a reason Hopefully that reason ould be thedinner

Once they entered the kitchen, both women were happy to see neitherthe house ablaze Father and son had put the groceries away and starteddelicious

"Don’t ever let them think you can’t train theious as Gavin’s "It’s actually quite easy"

"I’ll keep that in iggle

Turning with a frying pan in his hand, Gavin caught Erinned and did so what appeared to be pasta up froht?" he asked, reaching for his bottle of cold brew on the counter After downing a sip, he atteain only to flop half of the noodles onto the floor Marinara sauce coated the kitchen from one end to the other

Gavin looked up fro his eyes Needless to say, he was the only one groaning, because right along with Eh, so did his parents Several da product, and a quick mop of the floor later, Mr Show Off’s failed atte of the past Within a half hour, Lillian had everything under control

The four sat down in the dining rooplant par of pasta E the conversation while she could She knew their neould soon end it

She learned Chad and LillianHarvard Law School Not quite your typical "love at first sight" story, but Eained his tendency to relentlessly pursue what he wanted Chad had chased Lillian for two se he was the o out on one date with hihed at how that apple didn’t fall far fronant with Colton the following year They agreed she would leave school for the ti, another baby, a ue baseball practices later, Lillian never made her way back to law school However, as Eether, there didn’t seeret in either of their eyes when they looked at one another Instead, a lifetih every word, s the re for his parents to bring dessert into the dining room, Gavin couldn’t help but hear Emily’s heel pat the hardwood floor in relentless, jerky taps The sound echoed, pouncing off the walls like raindrops against a glassGod, he hated that she was so nervous It scorched his heart

Before he could tell her everything was going to be fine, his parents breezed into the roo a freshly brewed pot of coffee and hisa homemade apple pie With their seats reclaimed, Lillian sliced into the just out-of-the-oven dessert and served the at his father from across the table, Gavin could see he was nervous as well His ashen, troubled expression told all Gavin couldn’t even feign a sulp Hell His nerves were lighting up, but he knew he needed to strike up the daled up in his racing thoughts, his words sticking to his tongue like molasses