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‘I can help out there’

‘I think they’d rather have your input than your money Oh, I don’t rinned at hiet this kind of reaction after a feeeks in London I can’t iine what your mother feeds Celine when she comes home’

‘A full fatted calf’ He looked over at her ‘What did they say?’

A flush rose on her cheeks She didn’t want Gabe to think she’d been talking about hi for secrets and tales But his faer to share stories with her

Alirlfriend, not his boss

A wave of longing swept through her as unexpected as it was unwelcome What would it be like to be welcomed into the boso, chaotic throng? To have a place around the enormous scrubbed pine table that dominated the kitchen? To know your steps in the carefully choreographed dance of a faht to a drawer to collect and fold napkins The sons-in-laere kept busy fetching and carrying

Polly alone had had no role The guest, set apart

‘They said you don’t coh but they understand that you’re busy’ Polly chose her words carefully ‘That as they look at expanding it would be good to have your input, only they kno it’s hard for you to get away’

Their eyes followed hi out They adored hiave them the chance Polly could see how it smothered him, why he stayed away even as she wondered what it would be like, to be loved so comprehensively

‘Papa often talks about expanding’ Gabe was dismissive ‘Yet, he never does’

‘He h with him’ Polly could hear the tart note in her voice but didn’t try to rein it in ‘Your sisters are specialists, great at what they do but very focused You however are trained in ive hi’

There was a pained silence ‘One day here and you’re the expert on my family’

Words of apology rose to her lips but she sed them back ‘I don’t need to be an expert It’s co h with him, advise him’

‘Maybe’