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"I do, but I respect Nicole and you should, too"

There was a quiet dignity in his words, a maturity Nicole didn’t expect His defense of her soothed the wound of betrayal She watched the ould blink first

Brittany squared her shoulders "I’d like you to take ht"

She walked out of the kitchen Raoul looked at Nicole

"I keep screwing up I’ any better "

"Are you happy about the baby?"

She put down her spoon and covered the ice crealad Haill come around"

Nicole didn’t want to talk about that "You’d better get Brittany hoone I doubt he’s in a mood to be patient with her"

"Yeah, I know" He hesitated "You said stuff like this shows a person’s true character You’re doing great"

If only…"Not for long I’ a breakdown for later in the day"

"I’ll be around if you need h it" By herself She was good at that

Raoul left and she was alone in the house

The silence didn’t bother her that much She curled up on the sofa and flipped channels There had to be so on to distract her from her earlier conversation with Hawk and his reaction to her pregnancy So to help her stay nu closer She’d allowed herself to hope and then she’d fallen in love and then she’d been unable to protect herself Sure, this wasn’t what either of them would have chosen, but if he really loved her, he would have wanted to at least talk about the pregnancy He wouldn’t have run for the hills He wouldn’t have made it so clear how much he still loved Serena

HAWK STOOD in theit for the first ti was exactly as it had been when Serena had still been alive The paint on the walls, the furniture, the pictures Even the damn ceramic rabbits he’d always hated

He crossed to the fireplace and fingered the pictures there Sopictures and vacation pictures There wereup the stairs Serena’s presence was still tangible in the house, as if she’d lived here until yesterday

Hawk hadn’t meant that to happen He loved Serena; he would always love her, but he’d never meant to build a shrine to her He’d never meant to use her to put his life on hold or keep people away

Nicole was right…he’d been getting by on good looks and charone anywhere before Most of theht the woman in question to his house Now he knehy

At the tiure it out But what if Nicole had left?

He didn’t want to think about that Didn’t want to think about losing her He’d meant what he said He loved her Not that she was likely to believe him

Brittany ran into the house "Daddy, Daddy, where are you?"

"In here," he called

She raced toward him and threw herself at him "Oh, Daddy, it was so horrible Raoul heard you and Nicole talking and he told me about the baby Daddy, tell me it’s not true Tell me you didn’t do that with her Daddy, you can’t have another child You can’t"

A baby He’d ignored that part of what Nicole had said, had pushed it from his mind It had been too e daughter, the little girl he’d loved so rounded You weren’t supposed to leave your roonant and you want to talk about ot it "You went over there, didn’t you?"

"I had to talk to her I had to find out if it was true I told her it didn’t matter, that you’d never want to be with her or have another child It’s disgusting"

Hawk had been annoyed with his daughter before And disappointed But he’d never been truly angry "Nicole has been nothing but kind and supportive of you Even when you were running off with Raoul, she was understanding And this is how you thank her?" Hawk pushed her away

Brittany stared at hi at htless person and not at all who I thought ry and ashamed of how you’ve acted"

She blushed and tears filled her eyes "You can’t mean that," she whispered

"I absolutely do Hand over your phone"

"What?"

He grabbed her purse and pulled out her cell phone

"Daddy, no! You can’t take it This is crazy"

"You’re right This is crazy I’ve screwed things up, but I’hter My child You are not an equal or an adult You’re spoiled and immature"