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"Your rinned, his eyes crinkling at the corners "Just kidding She was still upstairs when I left If you hurry, you ht miss her"

"Oh Thanks"

"I think we need to have a talk later, Gabby" Uh-oh He ht now, actually--the disar jovial façade to hide the hard-ass within Those words had never boded well for any of his three kids whenever he uttered theht" He rolled up hisandher bottom lip between her teeth

The "talk" he wanted to have was no doubt about her behavior of late--tattoos and staying out all night She could understand If one of her children began behaving in a way that was totally opposite from the way they’d behaved before, she’d be worried too, no matter how old they were She only wished she had s With new people Her love life had been nothing but one failed relationship after another--the last one spectacularly failed If nothing she’d ever done had worked for her, then why keep doing the sa different results? That was the co wrong with changing it up a bit

It had daht

She would just reassure her parents tonight that she was okay, not to worry, and if they couldn’t be placated, thenback to Dallas early Finding an apart out in her hoood idea when her world ca down, but now…she wasn’t so sure She’d woken up thissoShe felt as if she could take on anything, defeat any obstacle, that she had no reason to hide her face in shame

She just didn’t like that it had taken a man to make her feel this way Even worse? It was a ed to ht of her ht, she was restless and full of energy, going for a late- When she did finally try to settle and do so, and she tossed her book aside on her bed with a huff

Maybe she could go out Maybe he’d be at the bar again Maybe--

No Holy shit, as she doing?

Her body remembered his touch almost as if his hands were still on her Mmm, the way he’d looked when he’d fked her in front of the mirror…

A knock at her door jerked her out of her fantasies "Co she wasn’t flushed The door eased open, and her dad peeked in

"You busy?"

"No I was reading, but…can’t keep eted uncomfortably Her mom was usually the one to lecture her For her dad to come up here, it was a little scary He usually handled the boys

He shut the door behind hiainst her desk across the roo her that he didn’t , she nodded "I’ht was the third time I know of that you didn’t come home since you’ve been back"

Yeah, he was on thewhat she did last night than to know the truth: sometimes she just had to run away He probably wouldn’t believe her if she told him