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“Why don’t we take her?”

Julia searched his eyes, surprised to discover that he was serious

“Sweetheart, we aren’t in the best position to take home a toddler”

“We love each other and we’d love her We have a house and a yard We speak Italian”

“Maria is a toddler with special needs and we’re first-ti mistakes”

Gabriel sat up “How could you entle Children are drawn to you”

“I’m not ready”

“What if you had help? I’reeave him an incredulous look “You’d use your sabbatical to stay home with me and a baby?”

“Why not? Children aren’t awake all the ti an extra pair of hands would s easier”

“Neither one of us knows veryfor a toddler”

“We have Rebecca”

Julia laughed “Rebecca is wonderful, but she’s our housekeeper, not a nanny Her kids are grown up I don’t think she’d want to help us with a child”

“I think you’d be surprised if you asked her She’s already volunteered to help more e have a baby”

Julia pulled away from him “You’ve spoken to her about this?”

He held his hands up “No But before ere married, shetih to see us start a family”

He frowned “I’ for ways to sabotage your education Or your life”

She ducked her head “I’htest disturbance will cause me to lose my focus and I’ll flunk”

“I think that’s the ra “What’s that supposed toEven though some and Rebecca”

She started to protest, but he interrupted

“Anxiety over starting a faitiram anyway That has ram”

Julia’s eyes widened

“I—that’s not true”

“It is I know, I felt the same hen I was at Harvard I think anyone who has an accurate sense of self has the sa her forward “You can do it, Julianne I believe in you”

Tears pricked at the back of her eyes and she found herself in his arhtly

He moved his mouth to her ear

“I’d like to take Maria home with us I’d like to take all the kids ho you need to deal with on your own”