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Doesn’t ht said no to hiht She’d merely asked for time and space while she sorted out her emotions If no chance for them existed, she would have told him to leave and never come back

He had to hang on to that Right noas all he had as the wait slowly killed hiht hiame at the Garden would provide him with a few hours of mindless entertainment

Picking up his cell phone, he dialed his brother’s nuht

Chapter 9

After a drive through town to kill ti up to the Talbot estate She’d re as possible, but eventually self-preservation won out If she sat around consu any more of the black ink the restaurant called coffee, she’d have a permanent hole in her stomach

She’d visited Callie’s new home a few times since its coe she once again gaped at the structure in awe Dylan had spared no expense, and it showed I could have sorand, his parents’ estate, as well as his hoeous

Marriage is about more than a nice house Lauren pushed open the car door and slaht She’d never approached a relationship in terain from it The fact that she just had didn’t sit ith her

Before ringing the doorbell, she slipped a hand into her jeans pocket Her fingers wrapped around the velvet box Then she took onethe bell

Mo open, but rather than the housekeeper who’d answered on her last visit, or Callie, Jake Sherbrooke stood in the foyer

“Long tiendary s

Unable not to, Lauren returned the e, Jake had been friendly and welco about hiazines

“Callie’s not up yet, but you can hang out with us till she comes down”

Great Callie has guests That’s what I get for not calling first “I can come back later” She liked Callie’s family but didn’t want to intrude

Jake gave her hand a little tug “It’s just me and Charlie and Sara and Christopher Besides, Callie would be pissed if I let you leave”

Lauren refrained fro If Jake and Callie shared any personality trait it was stubbornness In fact, the Sherbrookes, or at least the ones she’d met, seemed to have a monopoly on the characteristic

Jakerooh if someone were to later ask what they talked about she’d draw a blank Her h not overdone or showy like Cliff House, the Sherbrooke ance and wealth that ran through the estate Unlike the penthouse apartment Callie and Dylan lived in while in New York City which favored a modern style, their new home showcased a turn-of-the-century traditional décor She hadn’t thought much about it on her previous visits, but now she wondered what had influenced the design

Regardless of what inspired the ho like the apartment Callie had once lived in or the homes Lauren normally visited

“Help yourself if you’re hungry” Jake stopped next to his chair in the dining room and inclined his head toward the far wall “Nancy set out plenty of food”