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She clasped his hand, squeezed “I’m so sorry, Dirk”

“Yeah, aze, and possibly saw her, although she still wasn’t sure he wasn’t too far lost in the past “I’d rather have hadany store sold”

“I know you would” Beyond caring about protecting her heart, she moved to where she could wrap her arms around him, hold him close “Of course, you would”

He re any e that she held him

“There was a Christency department’s office where they put me after…Christmas music played” His face twisted “I felt as if Christ ripped ahen the world was celebrating peace, love and happiness It didn’t seeht”

“What happened was an accident A tragic accident” She reached up, brushed her fingers over his face, s the tension lines at his temples “But Sandra and Shelby wouldn’t have wanted you to be unhappy, to lose the spirit of Christmas, the spirit of life”

He blinked “You don’t know that”

“Your as on her way to purchase a gift for you Not because of whatever that gift was, but because she wanted to buy you so special That doesn’t sound like a woman ould want her husband to be lonely and miserable at the holidays”

But it wasn’t just at the holidays, she realized Dirk had closed off his heart Permanently

“As if my family would let me be lonely at the holidays,” he snorted

He’d never mentioned a family Only Sandra and Shelby “Your family?”

Why had Dirk mentioned his family? Just because his mother had called repeatedly over the past an

ting to know if he was coe his mind when he repeatedly said no

Apparently, she’d also put his brother and sister on the task as well, as both had been using various technologies to insist he coether for the holidays

As if he’d want to set himself up for another ive them the opportunity to force him down memory lane with photos and h and walked out