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Ruby He could barely think about her without being rerief, he hadn’t been able to bear the weak sound of her cries—or the bone-deep certainty that he would lose her, too She’d been so ill at birth It was better this way, he’d decided To keep his distance and not risk the pain that would co her in his life

Raoul turned back to the table, to the wines he’d been sa for as his favorite part of wine production—the blending He forced himself to settle back down in his chair, to study his notes and then to reach for another glass of wine

Sour He gri froain, sour He threw hiust He knew the flavor of the wine had little to do with his skills as a vintner and far more to do with his current state ofday was over—which left, what exactly? Tio up to the house to reminisce about old times with Alexis?

His gut twisted at the very thought Even so, he pushed hi away his notes for to them to drain on the rack before he started up the lane

Alexis was in the kitchen when he got into the house He could hear herin an off-key tone It sounded so domestic and normal for a second he allowed himself to hope, to dream that it was Bree there in the kitchen

But the second Alexis’s curvy frame came into the doorway the illusion was shattered

“I can see why Catherine sentin the pantry at all, and the fridge just about echoes it’s so e on? Thin air?”

He knew she was trying to be friendly but he arainst the attempt

“I get by I didn’t ask you to come here and criticize how I live”

“No, you didn’t,” she said with a rueful twist of lush lips that were ry kisses

Viciously he sla there Ever

“By the way,” she continued blithely, “while I found Ruby’s rooh, I’m not sure which room you wanted me in I went into one of the spare roos were in there”

He hadn’t been able to bear returning to the master bedroom, not with all its memories of Bree

“Take the room nearest the nursery”