Page 18 (1/2)

And once she had her life back?

Simply because she’d reclaiht for Danny than she’d been eleven years before Not that he was even the saled with the newer, darker Daniel Even if he stayed single after however long it took her to reclaim her life…

She didn’t know But for the first time in years, she knew she wanted to dare To drea soher at the sa?" Austin piped from four steps ahead as he sprinted into the condo, his blankie dragging

Going? Daniel’s brain went nu at Mary Elise’s suitcase, and freaking couldn’t process what he was seeing

Didn’t want to

Hell, his hts always operated three paces ahead of his feet, and his feet were hty damned fast even on a bad day

And thanks to Austin’s question, this proain Mary Elise flipped his world

Daniel double-ti ahead of his reason He charged past the boys, stopping toe-to-toe with Mary Elise and her small suitcase

Austin shuffled to a stop in front of her, his botto

Mary Elise knelt eye level with Austin’s blueberry-syrup-stained face She licked her thue disappeared "Well, sweetie, it’s tio? I want you to stay"

"I’d like to stay, too But this isn’t my home"

He hitched his blanket under his nose and sniffed "Are you gonna be close? Are we gonna see you again?"

She smoothed back sweaty brown curls off his forehead "You bet you will" She answered the latter question while avoiding the first "It… settled, but I’ll be back here to see you sometime And when I come back, I want you to show me all your new dives into the pool, and I’ll bet you won’t even need water wings anymore"

Da this to herself? To the boys

To him "Mary Elise, let’s talk without the boys here"

"Daniel, I’ll be sending you the money I owe you for all the clothes and such And Ifor Christh her suitcase with jerky agitation "Where did I put the the side zipper pouch "Are they in here?"

"No I don’t think so I haven’t used that pocket yet"

"But it’s half-zipped"

Hell, did the kid have to flipping help her out the door with a hoo-ya just to piss him off?

"Hmm" She yanked open the zipper and jammed her hand inside "Maybe I put it in here without think--"

She shrieked Her hand whipped back out of the bag Blood dripped fro his thuet one of those Winnie the Pooh Band-Aids"

Maybe he could stretch this into a trip to the hospital for a tetanus shot to buy him time to talk her around Or he could stand here and hold her hand for another hour and stare into the daed her hand free and stuck her finger in her reen with her

Prying open the side pouch, she peered inside Color drained fro, she withdrew a small medicine bottle for a shot

Daniel supported her shoulders with one are lay in the side pouch, and frolaze in Mary Elise’s eyes, it didn’t belong there

Instincts went on full alert Soed back down the hall, Band-Aids waving froer and one Ee-yore"

"Thanks, pal" Daniel snagged the bandages and wrapped an orange Tigger Band-Aid around the tip of Mary Elise’s finger "How about you fellas take your Game Boys to your room for a minute"

Austin’s bottooodbye to Mary Elise"

"I proh the tousled curls "Meanwhile, let er"

Mary Elise exhaled, shaking free whatever had gripped her "Please, Trey? Could you keep Austin busy for a bit? I pro to you first"

Trey shuffled froplant parmesan for supper"

Daniel faked a smile "Sure kid, whatever"

Trey yanked his little brother by the ar with the close of their bedrooer toward her "Cut the crap I’ you walk out until you tellon"

Mary Elise sunk back on her bottom "Oh, God, Danny I’ve screwed up so bad"

Mary Elise forced her hand to stay steady around the empty bottle, willed her teeth not to chatter Still, the shaking swelled inside her