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“Dinner was lovely,” said the next woman in line to head out the front door A tall, dark-haired woman with eyes identical to Dirk’s His sister, Jolene She held a well-bundled toddler in her arms A toddler who shared the Kelley eyes Would Abby’s own baby have a siaze? Would she forever be haunted by the man she’d loved but who hadn’t been able to love her in return?

“Thanks sous” The woain soon Maybe Dirk will bring you to Oak Park”

Abby felt tears pop into her eyes What kind of man could have a family like this and shut them out?

Oh, he’d lightened up a bit as the evening had progressed, but he’d been out-and-out rude when he’d first arrived So much so that Abby had planted the fake smile on her face and tried to ard Even now, as his ri her in return

Abby wanted to hit hinored theth

No doubt after his wife and daughter’s deaths things had been rough, but shouldn’t he have leaned on his family, not shut them out?

His brother shook his hand, pulled hi it, we’d love to have you at Christmas”

Dirk didn’t coured John knew Dirk had no intention of showing up in Oak Park on Christmas Day

“He’ll probably sleep most of the day After all, he’ll have just pulled twenty-four hours in the e him? This was his fa so hard tosuch a long shift really wouldn’t be wise”

“You’re right, of course” His mother’s chest rose and fell beneath her heavy coat “At least he won’t be spending Christmas alone” She sent Abby a warm smile “It really was lovely to et this show on the road so Abby can prop her feet up She looks tired”

So in the way Dirk’s aze, made her look away because she was sure the woman could see into her soul and see all her secrets Besides, she was tired After pulling a twelve-hour shift at the hospital, co dinner, she was tuckered out

It took Dirk’s faet out the door, betweenback in for a cookie for the road

When the door closed, Abby sagged and didn’t bother to try to hide her fatigue fro tension, had seen the building fire in his eyes, had known they’d argue and was ready to get it over with

“How could you treat your family that way, Dirk? They love you, drove all that way to spend the evening with you, and you lashed out at theot” Her heart had ached for the whole lot of therief he’d lostthat mattered and had no one to blame but himself

“They had no right to show up here How could you have invited the it with me first?”