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“Probably not Although you certainly kno to shop”

“I one a little overboard”

“You think?”

She rose He released her reluctantly, wanting to feel her next to hi more quickly every day It was already the 22nd He was scheduled to leave before New Year’s What had been weeks was now days and soon it would be hours

“All right,” she said “We need to get organized The best way to do this is to set up wrapping stations It takes oWe’ll do ribbon in the kitchen and then stack the presents on my desk in the office”

She reached down and scooped up one of the kittens “All the better to keep little paws and claay fro” She stroked the kitten as she spoke

She turned back to hi sorted by size There are gift cards over there” She pointed with her free hand “You can write those first so we’ll knoho gets what present”

She carried the kitten into the small office and caed on to her e about Pia’s baby”

He still had no clue who Pia was, but liked that Noelle was excited for her Mayor Marsha had been right—this town looked out for its own

His conversation with the older wo unsettled She knew too ot her inforure it out, he’d decided to instead simply enjoy the cards

“There’s a picture!”

He looked up and saw Noelle pointing to the screen He rose and walked over to see the grainy picture of the newborn His skin was red, his eyes tightly closed But he was beautiful New life, Gabriel thought

Noelle handed hio to the bathroom Yell if any more pictures come in”

He took the kitten “You’ll be gone thirty seconds,” he teased “You can’t go that long without knowing if there’s a new picture?”

She planted her hands on her hips “Do you or do you not want help wrapping all your presents?”

He chuckled “I’ll yell if another one comes in”

“Thank you”

He watched her walk away, enjoying the sway of her hps and the careful way she stepped over all the obstructions—both living and inanimate Her place was a ot the packages wrapped, he would drive the he should ask Gideon to put out the word on the older kittens They were starting to eat regular food, which h to be adopted He knew Noelle was thinking of keeping the two mother cats, but there was no way she could handle them and the kittens, too

Her coed He turned back and saw an e he would see another picture of the newborn, only to be confronted with three stark sentences

Dr Nelson confirmed it The cancer is back and it’s bad I wish there was better news

Gabriel’s vision sharpened to a single pinpoint of light All he saas the email The words blurred, then sharpened and he understood immediately what had happened The AML had returned While it was unlikely, it could happen What he hadn’t knoas that she’d been worried and had been checked out by someone She hadn’t said a word

His gut twisted, even as his ht about all she’d been through already Of the picture she’d shown hiht about everything she’d lost and how she’d just figured out how to have a new life She was happy, he thought bitterly, furious at the unfairness of the situation She didn’t deserve this

Friends would rally, he knew The toould be there for her, but that wasn’t the sa someone she could depend on

“Any news?”

He turned and saw her walking back into the living rooood and it was all a lie

“Marry me,” he said, not sure where the words had co them “Marry me I’ll stay I’ll take care of you I can handle it, Noelle I won’t leave I’m not Jeremy You can trust me to stay”

Her brows drew together “What on earth are you talking about?”

“You don’t have to pretend I saw the email You’ve been to a doctor”

“What? No, I haven’t”

“It’s right here,” he said, pointing to the computer “I want to help I want to be here for you”

Noelle felt as if she’d walked into the middle of a movie where everyone knew the plot but her Gabriel looked shell-shocked, but clear-eyed She would guess he didn’t have a head injury But still So with the man

While she was thrilled at the proposal, soht He said he wouldher Why would he suddenly want to marry her?

He would stay with her? What on earth was he—

She groaned “I heard from Tammy,” she said quietly, then pushed past hie was brief and to the point

Tears filled her eyes She brushed them away and took a deep breath, then faced Gabriel

“It’s not me Tammy is a friend of mine We met in the hospital Obviously, her cancer is back She was never very strong This is going to go fast She wanted me to know”

There were calls she needed to ht A visit to plan Tao over for a few days Tae faive her that last hug

She shook her head, then turned to Gabriel, as staring at her as if he couldn’t bring himself to believe her “I’m fine,” she said firmly “Not sick at all You don’t have to propose I’”

“You’re sure?”

A simple question that cut like a knife