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“My silence isn’t meant to hurt you”

“It does” She huffed in frustration “How can I be your partner when you won’t talk toto talk to you I pro it with you I just need to—figure out a few things first”

“Can’t you figure theood listener I can help”

“You are a good listener The best But sos alone”

“Is that man-speak for ‘Don’t worry your pretty little head, darlin’?”

“Man-speak?” He chuckled, pressing his lips to her pal her arood ti, Gabriel”

He rolled to his side and kissed the wrinkle between her eyebrows “I’ you You are adorable” He paused, his eyes focused and intense “You need to be aand at ease you are You’re a natural”

“Today was a special day Your ponies were a hit”

“You were right, as usual”

“Then why are you so sad?”

“I can’t stand to leave them there” Gabriel’s eyes and tone evidenced his distress

Julia observed hie had been very well hidden

“The children are treated nicely The staff love thee”

“Yes” Julia pushed a curl back froh his hair in an attempt to soothe him

“I knohat it’s like,” he said quietly “When my mother died, there were several months when I didn’t knohere I’d end up It could have been an orphanage or foster care I could have been shipped back to New York to live withif so to show up to taketo tire of s”

“They would never have done that”

“I didn’t know They were strangers to me I wasn’t especially adoptable My father disowned me, and my mother’s fae—my own flesh and blood Now do you understand why I don’t want anything to do with theainst his face “Yes But you were very adoptable Grace and Richard were attached to you fro”

“If they hadn’t takendown that road You have a fa, Julianne”

The beauty of his words pierced her heart She leaned forward to kiss hi to sho rasped her hand at the wrist “We could adopt”

“I thought you wanted to try to have a child first”

He looked away

“Has soe

“Children like Maria deserve a hoitated

“Maybe we should try to help Elena find a family for her You know lots of people”

“What about us?”

“Us?”