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101 " That was really good driving," Maddy told her."Yeah, thanks.""Here, baby. Here." Pilar turned her, held her when the shakes came. And, holding her, reachedout for Maddy. "Here, baby," she said again. Maddy pressed herself into that circle of comfort and letthe tears come. "
― Nora Roberts , The Villa
102 " Bet it was some ride." Theo manfully swallowed the prickly lump in his throat. There was ajittering inside his chest that came as much from seeing his father break apart as from anxiety overMaddy. "I'll haul her in, Dad. You're going to wreck your arm "
103 " You'll stay, won't you?" Maddy asked Pilar."Yes, if you want.""I think you should stay." Since Theo had grabbed the bags, she clomped off after him in her funkynew shoes. "
104 " I was into third guesses with Theo and Maddy. Anyway, that's one of the reasons I opted to buythe van and drive cross-country instead of dumping us all in a plane. It gave us some time. Nothinglike a three-thousand-mile drive in an enclosed vehicle to cement a family unit—if you live throughit.""It was very brave of you.""You want to talk courage?" He drove easily up the lane to the villa. "I've been chief taste-testeron this wine experiment Maddy's conducting. It's brut "
105 " Don't say anything. Just let me look at you." He cupped her face, skimmed his hands back into herhair. Her skin was chilled, her eyes huge and full of worry. But she was here, she was whole. "Justlet me look.""I'm fine."He drew her close, seemed to fold himself around her and rock. "Sophia? "
106 " Ascalmly as she could, she turned away from the cop who was interviewing her and walked toward him.He grabbed her fast enough, hard enough to knock the breath out of her. Nothing had ever felt sosafe. "I was hoping you'd come. I was really hoping.""Did you get banged up any? "
107 " The rage would have to wait. He'd have to wait to break something in half, to plow his fist intosomething, anything. Sophia was trembling, and needed tending."Kid knows something about everything. Get in the car. Time for somebody else to take thewheel."A little dazed now, she glanced behind her. "I think they still want to talk to me.""They can talk to you tomorrow. I'm taking you home.""Fine by me. I have some shopping bags."He smiled, and his grip on her loosened to a caress. "Of course you do. "
108 " His ex-wife dumped him and the kids."Sophia's gaze lifted from the wine she held, met his. "Dumped?""Yeah, decided there was a big old world out there, and she was entitled to it. Couldn't explore itor herself with a couple of kids and a husband hanging on. So she left.""How do you know this?""Maddy talks to me. "