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Luckily when I pulled into the driveway ofin as well Thatat the bit to have on the back burner for a little while longer She likedme over the coals in front of a man I obviously respected and admired My relationship with Jules was coh to know that there was no way she would want any part of driving the wedge any further between reeted us with an easy slint in his dark eyes
"Hoas Elma?" Jules offered Dixie a hand as she clarinned up at the ht I was surprised Jules wasn’t temporarily blinded by it I knew that when she looked atbut the sunshine that glowed out of her too-big heart
Dixie took her helers through her rowdy curls and bury my face in them They always smelled like fresh air and sunbeams They felt like warm silk and luxurious satin She was like the perfect day if the perfect day was a huood to me, but she did not hide the fact that she thinks it’s e papers were signed She was not a fan of this particular Yankee"
Jules threw his head back and let out a laugh that made his entire body shake "The old bird did not call you a Yankee"
Dixie laughed "She didn’t, but I aiting for her to"
Jules laughed again and reached out for the backpack that she had been hauling around with her for the last few days I growled a little under esture, a basic act of chivalry, and I hadn’t thought to do that for her the entire tiether I’d been ho re to live up to the example Julian had set for ht have softened her up a little bit You can’t be a Yankee when you’re named after the south"
Dixie smiled up at hi "We didn’t get that far She gave Church the what for and told him that she would throw herself down the stairs a hundred et hi"
Jules nodded in agree back in time I remembered the first time alked across that doorstep as a family I also re my mother, both of us at a loss as to e should do with a newborn I re Caroline over for the first ti to come out ofand stu to reassure ht All thewith the bad The happy getting shredded by the sorrow that was so much sharper
"She’s protective of both my boys She never wanted Dash to leave, none of us did She’s going to be greedy and possessive now that he’s back She’ll waroing to be around forever She cast a look over her shoulder at me and I silently wished that was the case Forever and her right in the center of it weren’t the worst things that could happen tothat could happen to her
"Dixie has a life and a job back in Denver she has to get back to, Jules She agreed to ride doith " I was surprised that the thought of letting her go of o of a loved one when I had no choice in the ave me a hard look as he unlocked the door and pushed it open He shifted his attention back to Dixie and his expression softened because it was i but soft with her, well, impossible for everyone but me, but luckily she seemed to like it when I was hard "Well, if that’s the case I suggest you ether Let Elma fawn all over Dash Help her out, but don’t ets her tea in the afternoon Take a arden is watered and her flowers are tended and you’ll have a fast friend She kno to Skype now so don’t be surprised if she wants to keep in touch after you head back to the mountains"
"I’ll keep all of that inelse but it was drowned out by the rush of blood into ulfed in memories and history when I finally stepped into the house
The neighborhood and the surrounding city rown up hadn’t Sure, there was a new couch and aarea but the pictures on the walls that showed a happy family and then another happy fans of either of those fa faces and joy No signs of everything that had been lost and buried Jules was focused on what he’d had, not on what he’d lost
There were new additions as well Pictures of me in my football uniforone and communication between the two of us sparse and stilted it was obvious Jules wanted reminders of both his children front and center in his hoht in the center of my chest It hit me so hard that I had to put a hand on the wall to brace ht he would be disappointed in the way I left, in the way I abandoned hirief we shared on their own Those pictures made it seem like he was as proud of me now as he hen I stood by his side both times he married the women he loved