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"Why? You coet to see, probably never get to hold How is that supposed to et to see and hold him or her either, at least not as often as he’d like to It all depended on what Gabby decided "It doesn’t have to be that ith us"

"You’ll ainst you You shouldn’t have anything against me All that…is in the past"

"But you left When I needed you most, you left"

"You never acted like you needed me at all You were relieved when I et you in trouble with Earl anyitated circle around the suarantee you this: no child of mine would have ever stepped in this house while he lived here"

"That’s a horrible thing for you to say"

"He was a horrible person, in case you’ve forgotten this" He indicated his scar with a flick of his hand

"I’ll never forget that I’ll remember that the rest of hed and took his forh I don’t want it to be that ith us I’ to happen with the reat I’d love to have a future with her I can’t help but feel like it’s an opportunity to set things right in my life, you know? It’s like there’s this tiny clean slate on the way to et to vicariously start all over"

She nodded "Good, good You deserve that"

"And I do want you to be a part of it I hope you understand why I had to leave I spent so one, I had to make my own life There’s no reason you can’t do that too" She didn’t even act as if she could hear hi deep inside to choke his pounding heart "Why don’t you leave this hellhole? Come with me I’ll help you any way I can"

"I’ve waited too late to make a life," she said, a bitter twist to her lips Her faded blue eyes were cold as her gaze lifted to his "But I wish you the best of luck with yours"

Chapter Thirteen

Gabriella stared down at her toes ereen waters of the Gulf of Mexico The surf tu the sand froy for how she felt right now

The never-ceasing hipped her long hair behind her She probably should have put it up, because it would be hell to deal with later, but she didn’t care

Miles out over the water, the clouds were bruised and towering, and she could see the sheets of rain falling Before long, they would probably have to escape into the condo