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Still, there was so air, in the occasional tease and laugh and quick glance, that indicated hbors

“I think AJ’s getting sleepy,” Gabe said with a hitch of his chin toward the toddler whose head bobbed and his eyelids drooped “Ready for bed, little man?”

AJ jerked to attention, eyelids batting to stay awake “No”

Both adults laughed Brooke had never seen a better father than Gabe He was the perfect reat job with his son, Brooke’s heart hurt a little to think of the boy as motherless Even with all the probleine not having a mother Surely, a man like Gabe would remarry someday Would a stepmother love this precious baby the way he deserved?

Without stopping to think of all the reasons she shouldn’t, Brooke let instinct take over She pulled AJ onto her lap and began to rock “He’s tired When is his bedtime?”

Gabe glanced at his watch “Fifteen o”

AJ snuggled against her T-shirt and sighed Brooke’s heart squeezed Given half a chance, she could fall in love with her neighbor’s son The yearning inside to have and to love a child grew every ti his son with a curious expression on his face Brooke suddenly had the bizarre thought that she could fall in love with the father, too This ti with a sick thud to the pit of her sto crazy All the stress of the past week had loosened a screw in her head She barely knew Gabe Wesson

“Mind if I ask you so personal?”

A nerve inside Brooke jerked “Go ahead”

“Even if the inheritance works out, don’t you want to use your degree? Don’t you want more out of life than money?”

“Interesting that you should ask because I’ve beenback and forth, one hand cradling AJ’s head, the other his back “I don’t really want to be an heiress Not that I can’t use the oals Plans”