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Gavin sighed Of all the people he’d hurt with his refusal to forgive hiretted Hannah the most
God, he hoped he hadn’t lost his chance with her
“Hannah, I would really like to talk to you”
“I’ood,” Hannah said Her West Texas draays deepened when she got serious That twang dripped now as she spoke “I think we’ve said just about all we have to say”
“That’s not true I told you a bunch of lies meant to protect myself Will you letnod, Gavin went on “In college, I irl named Nikki…”
He explained the entire story, every terrible detail, including his failure to act on her suicide threat When he finished, the car was dead silent She was probably judging hiive up It had taken a lot of courage to tell so as Hannah how small he’d been in the past
Finally, she said, “It wasn’t your fault Nikki uilt”
He breathed a sigh of relief She didn’t hate hiretted my part in Nikki’s death And I’ve been convinced since you walked in ht love you, I’d be poison to you When you said you loved me, my first instinct was to push you away But you just wouldn’t be deterred,weight began to ease off his chest
“I prohtened on the steering wheel as he tried to figure out how to convince her of his sincerity
She turned those green eyes on hi he or his brothers could do would ever wipe away the innocence that seemed an innate part of Hannah
“But on some level, you did mean it, Gavin There was a lot of truth in those words
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have hurt so much I don’t fit into your world I don’t even know that I want to It’s easier with Slade and Dex They don’t really care what others think” Gavin sat back in the driver’s seat with a sigh Just because she was innocent didn’t mean she wasn’t wise Hannah wouldn’t fit easily into his world She would always run the risk of being ridiculed It would happen behind her back because he had the money and clout to hurt whoever rejected her, but he was too worldly to believe it wouldn’t happen
But Hannah rong about one thing “You’re ive a daood at corporate politics, but they don’tto o to another party, charity event, or social gathering if itHannah miserable
“But all you do is work, Gavin That’s your whole life”
It had been, until he’d realized how i so different He’d chosen his executive tea from him and still run like a well-oiled machine
Gavin tentatively reached out and put his hand over hers She didn’t wrap her fingers around his hand, but she didn’t move away, either
“You’vedifferent I’ve proven myself as a CEO Noant to prove to you and ood husband and someday, hopefully, a father”
She slanted her gaze his way and pulled her hand back Gavin ht come around sooner than you think I’m not sure I’m ready for that
I’m not sure you are, either”
He let his hand find the steering wheel again He’d dug a very deep hole with Hannah He needed to patiently fill it back in “I anant—and even if you’re not—I want to prove to you that I’ll be here every step of the way We’ll all be here for you” Because he and his brothers were in this together, he wouldn’t have to worry about Hannah or their children if anything ever happened to him Dex and Slade would protect and shelter her and the kids They would pick her up if she was down No ould his tragic history repeat itself with her
So warm and infinitely secure settled in Gavin’s heart It felt so right This was exactly the fa around one beautiful sun—with lots of little moons to follow
“If I have a baby, and he’s not biologically yours, I won’t let you turn your back on hiut She really believed he’d abandon her or any of her children? Of course, what else would she think after hearing his part in Nikki’s death? His satisfaction and rosy outlook for the future dissipated Aworries rushed to the surface How could he convince her that he’d changed?
He raked his hand through his hair then pinned her with an earnest stare “Never I will never put ain I will never turn away if you or one of the children needsabout Nikki, but I really didn’t think she was serious or pregnant Please believe me”
The long silence nearly sliced him in two He had way more fences toto do?
“Gavin?” Her voice treht to his heart
God, he was afraid to look at her if her opinion of hio to be there for her He couldn’t renege now He faced her
Her eyes ide, pooling with unshed tears “I’m sorry you had to live with that I’ The man I knoould never abandon his own child—or anyone else’s” Hannah shook her head, her blonde hair brushing her shoulders She reached for his hand, and he gave it to her “When you found out Dex existed, you e, gave hiht him into your family Many people wouldn’t have done half so much”
“I couldn’t leave him there He’s my brother I just wish I’d known sooner” Gavin rey house where Dex had lived for the last year of his stay in foster care More like confinement The house had been filthy His foster s than the kids in her care Before Dex could even say hello, Gavin had tossed a wad of cash at the wo Dex had owned fit into a grocery sack
“Of course” She squeezed his hand “You mean the world to him”
“I haven’t always done a good job of showing that I care for him, too”
“You’ll be a great father, Gavin”
“I’ll dowill be perfect, Hannah I can only proive, if you give me a chance” She sniffled and released hiether in her lap He wanted to hold her, but he hadn’t earned the right yet “Can I think about it for a while?” At least she wasn’t saying no Or bla him for the deaths of Nikki and their unborn child