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"Yeah, yeah, everything’s fine I’ve just had my hands full That’s all" She paused for ahard? I hear they’ve been riding youdown to the wire now I’yy or no one else had as the tabloids"To, but after that, it’s back to the grind How are things with your sister and your nephew?"

"They’re going He’s here noith my parents, and ave Gus up so easily, but what can she do?" He heard her sigh "It’s just so hard to believe that I could have been so wrong about someone, you know? To think"

She didn’t finish, and Abel waited for a few seconds, lying back down on his bed before asking "To think, what?"

"Never y into thinking about right nowor ever again"

After going quiet for ayour work?"

"No," she said even as the typing continued "I was also chatting online as I worked, but I’lanced at the clock It was already past eleven With the question begging to be asked--who the hell was she chatting with this late--she started to as--"

"Please don’t cancel" Abel was already sitting up again His suddenly pounding heart and desperate tone surprised him but not more than what flew out of his mouth next "I need you there withceased, and he didn’t even hear her breathing anyonna cancel" Her tone had changed She sounded a little surprised, stunned onna ask for the exact itinerary What day and ti the phone away from him a little so she wouldn’t hear the enormous breath of relief he took then exhaled, Abel smiled He told her what day he wanted to leave, and they went through thewhat time was best for both of them Neither mentioned his unexpected declaration, but it was out there, and even though he ilad that he had Maybe she’d remember that the next time she saw another one of those stupid tabloid photos of him and Rachel

Nellie had already yawned a couple of times, and she hadready to let her go, but not before he made sure he told her what he’d really called to say "I miss you, Nell"

Like earlier, she was quiet for moment then cleared her throat "Ifor a few silent moments, and even as exhausted as he was, if she’d only uttered the words that she wished she could see him, he’d be in his car before she finished her sentence But she didn’t Instead she said goodnight, and just like that the call was over

Abel lay there in his bed, staring at the dark ceiling, thinking He wanted so badly to believe that she was feeling what he was But there was no denying her words It wasn’t just aShe’d told hienda She wanted to be free Then he saith his own eyes

Punching his mattress, he shook his head in an effort to shake the visual of her kissing her date away One thing was for daht He was either going to have to suck it up or end this thing because there was no way he was going to be able to deal with that The very idea that he could get used to it with tiet used to that His reaction to seeing her kiss Saain It made no sense to even try to pretend he’d hold back, because just lying there thinking about itsoer probleested, it still wouldn’t change the way he felt His reaction to seeing her with soly What Noah and Roni had been so worried about would happen It hit hiathering where Abel arned upfront that Nellie would be there with someone else, he wouldn’t show up There had to be another alternative than the only two Noah thought would work Ending things with Nellie would effectively s with one of his best friends He didn’t even want to consider that, but there’d be no way--no way--his being around Nellie and anotherday at the zoo with her nephew, her parents, Roni, and little Jack had worn Nellie out She hadn’t even realized how long it’d been since she spent that much quality time with her parents or her best friend Most notably, she hadn’t realized how much she needed to take a break from her busy life and tormented heart It’d been nice to just relax and think of nothing ood family fun

She’d been closer to Roni than she’d ever been to her own sister, so she and Jack were just as much family to her as her parents Nellie wasn’t even ashamed to admit she loved Roni more than she did her sister It was natural Roni’s love for Nellie had always been so selfless--the girl would do anything for Nellie, and betray her? Never Nellie could tell that Roni still felt terrible about ht she’d told her she’d meant to rub it in to Abel’s brother that she’d been on a date Ever since then, Roni had hardly asked about Abel