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"Not true," I shot back angrily, gripping his arht "Nathan was before I ever knew you, and this--"

"This could have ended sobut a dark cloud blotting out your light"

"Gavin, you are the light," I said, pleading with hi the sadness in his eyes "Please, it’s over now It’s only blue skies ahead for us I love you"

"I love you too, baby But there’s soaze "I knoe said no secrets, but I haven’t been co with Sonjawell, I didn’t think it was a good tih, I want you to know"

I took a steadying breath, preparing myself for whatever ca me for ten million dollars It will ruin me personally and the company if I lose My attorney wants me to settle out of court, but I can’t"

For the next fifteen minutes, the whole story poured out How he’d wanted to tell me, how he’d told Cooper, what Ashley’s family had been like when she needed them

He left out no detail, and when he was done, he looked up at iveness "I know I should have told you I’m sorry, but damn it, it’s all too much"

I shook my head "Don’t worry about that now What’s done is done, but from this moment forward, there are no secrets between us Noelse?"

"What about it?" I shrugged "We’re strong Win or lose, we’ll get through this We just have to h the worst of tio to the store I think we need that comfort food now more than ever," I told him

Chapter Twenty-Three

Eh e hoped would be the worst of his case We looked for receipts, and talked to people whoto testify And, finally, Gavin told Quinn everything about the case

It was hard for Gavin, going back through all the trials and tribulations of his tih I’d expected to feel jealous or possessive, the more I learned about Ashley, the sadder I felt for both of the with the issues of Sonja’s upco, there would be no trial She was facing three years in prison for aggravated assault

I still couldn’t bring o back to the brownstone Despite it all, I was surprised I didn’t feel like the world was coht of my ruined house or my wasted effort, I felt so bitter that I wanted to scream and break down But I didn’t

And that was all because of Gavin

No ot, I could look to hie he was sharing the load with me I wasn’t alone

Day after day, I would look at hi hi of my conversation with my mother He was the one fora foundation for so

The only question hether he felt the same way

I wanted to ask My insecurities hts toall weird on hi ould take my mind off the brownstone, the case, anda book tree in the children’s section The bell rang at the door and I turned, ready to tell the visitor the library was closed, and I caught sight of Gavin

He earing the charcoal suit I loved best, the sa the day I walked into his office for the first tiht at hirinned

"Coet to all the branches"

He shook his head as he pushed his hands into his pockets "Not today We have plans"

"We do?"

He nodded "We do Now, colance, then followed hilow of sunset His limo wasn’t there, but he ledbehind the wheel

"Where’s Ben?"

"Gave hiht off I wanted it to just be the two of us" He stuck the key in the ignition, but before he twisted it, he turned in his seat and handed le

"What’s this?" I asked