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After Laura’s death, Saain Not only did he not deserve to, he couldn’t trust hi in his life he’d done to the very best of his abilities, and he’d set the bar high Yet with his wife, he’d failed Failed on the most basic level And that failure had cost her life As he’d lain in a hospital bed in the aftermath of their car smash he’d welcoony of rehabilitation and learning to walk again Every torturous step was a just punishment for what he’d done
His life had becouilt and his failure Even the corown into a multinational software eer He’d dwelled within a dark place for the past year and a bit A dark place lit only recently by the information that Riley Connellto strive for, soain Someone to build a world around
Even now, just thinking about the boy made his heart squeeze Already he could see a family likeness The baby had the Thornton nose and the stubborn set to Riley’s chin was so like Sa at winds he wanted to see? He wouldn’t know for certain until Erin consented to stop delaying the DNA testing
He huffed a deprecating laugh They’d gone beyond consent the minute he’d seen her walk into that lawyer’s office today David would rustle up that court order, using whatever favors he could pull and Erin would have to agree Saer He wanted to kno He needed to be a part of Riley’s life, his future
Sam pushed his chair away fro out at the lake It was beautiful here An arow up Hoould Riley cope, he wondered, sharing his tie of the lake and Sam’s inner-city apartment? It would be all very hile he was small, but Saes geared toward his future that he wouldn’t have here Would Erin agree?
He shoved a hand through his hair He was juun a bit A bit? he asked hied on those tests Everything
His very world
By the time he headed downstairs later that day, he’d pushed his mood behind him As he approached the kitchen, he could hear Riley’s fractious griping followed by Erin’s soothing tones and he felt a new appreciation for her She’d been raising Riley single-handedly It was no easy task and yet he hadn’t heard a single word of co on the stove as he entered and Riley gave a squeal of recognition as Sam entered the room
“Oh, it’s you I’ht,” Erin said over her shoulder
She sounded tired and distracted
“No proble and it’s not as if I’ve been burning off energy,” Sa Riley the toy he’d flung to the tabletop