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Taking the seat next to him, Lauren started on her own breakfast, French toast minus the apples Instead she had added a few raspberries on top “Did you sleep okay last night?”

It was a valid question One anyone would ask soht Nate sensed by her tone that she was asking more than her words implied “Great” He shoveled another forkful of food into his htmare, he had slept well The unexpected warue as he chewed Still, the quick stab of pain didn’t affect the heat building in his body

“If youu, Nate, I’m here” Her voice resonated with compassion and concern

Nate bit back a curse, then worrying she’d pull her hand away, he covered it with his own, anchoring her to hi to talk about unless you mean us”

“I saw you last night That was no normal dream you had”

If she wanted to ignore the past between thehtht deal”

“Nate—” Lauren’s voice took on a pleading tone

“Lauren, I’ his hand, he picked up his fork Irritation s and run away Her insistence that he open up indicated she still cared He should have been pleased about that All he felt, though, was embarrassment

After his suggestion, Lauren pulled her hand away and reer the silence re such an ass She meant well and he shouldn’t have snapped at her Tiize “Lauren, I’m sorry, but I am fine”

Lauren gave hi in his direction

“Did Kelly have the baby last night?” Maybe a conversation about the newest member of her family would put her in a better mood

Lauren’s hand paused with her coffee e around three o’clock She and the baby are fine Jared al the delivery, but he’s okay, too”

He waited for her to add ain, he proirl?”

“A little girl They named her Beth” Lauren srabbed her cell phone “Can you believe all the hair she has?”

Nate accepted the phone Lauren held out to hiotten she was upset with him

“I think she looks just like Kelly,” she said

He squinted at the tiny picture on the screen The baby did have a ton of hair Granted, he hadn’t spent much time around babies, but he’d expected her to be nearly bald, not have enough hair to co like Lauren’s sister, well, if she said so, he daree From the picture, the only hint the baby was feratulations, Auntie”