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“I have so to tell you,” he said in a quiet, tentative voice that caused a flutter of apprehension in her stoht upset you”

She turned to him “What is it?”

He looked away froaze, and her anxiety arced into fear He’s leaving, just like Mo to tell me he doesn’t want to be a dad anymore

“It’s about ery,” he said

She felt a split second of relief, then another rush of anxiety “Are you okay?”

He sood anyway, for …” His voice fell to a whisper, and he stared at her with an intensity that was unnerving “Pretty good for a guy who had a heart transplant”

He looked so serious and scared that she al to tell you’ thing? God, I thought you were dying”

“It doesn’t gross you out?”

“Jeez, Dad, I’rew up in the ICU I’ll bet I know more heart recipients than you do”

He gave her a sudden smile, then slowly it disappeared ’That’s not all of it”

She grinned “I know, the tabloids were right You have an alien’s heart”

He laughed “Is that the newest?”

They fell silent Lina leaned back on her elbows and stared out at the spiky black rosebushes along the picket fence

Angel stretched out beside her “The thing is this, Lina I have… Imore

Lina turned to hiave his pale skin a healthy golden glow Dark brown hair, the color of coffee, spilled away froht blue denim of his collar He stared up at the starry Novehed heavily