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I pulled Max to lie next to hs "You know, everyone’s asleep"

"You think you could be quiet hat I’d do to you? I’ainstto try Maybe you could gagthe top ofout In fact--"

As if on cue, Annabel picked that exact ht just fall back to sleep" I told hiood, like the Max I had always known, but a little like Anna, too He was getting so laid

Twowent by, and I had just extricated o pick her up, when the apartment fell silent

We looked at each other, before both of us turned our attention down the hall "What is that?" Max asked

I listened, unable torooan tiptoeing down the hall

We turned the corner and Max stopped, quickly enough that I ran into his back "What is it?" I whispered

Max moved over the tiniest bit, and there was Niall: tie off and top of his shirt unbuttoned, shoeless and walking back and forth, talking softly to a bright-eyed Annabel

"Well I’ll be da for her to fall in love with hiirl," heher softly on one of her puffy cheeks

Anna continued to look up at him in awe, and Max and I turned to look at each other

"Niall’s a natural," I whispered to Max

He looked back at his brother, before turning back to ?"

Chapter Six

Max

I stared atas he took a bite of toast and scanned the business section, oblivious to er than we’d ever been apart Marriages beginning and ending, careers growing¸ babies born, faations, and a land and hih I was only ten ht back the older-brother protectiveness his calered in me