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she needed one. Maybe Lou would finally step
up and take on his responsibility.
    “ I had a nanny lined up.”
    Or, maybe not. She had to stop hoping there
was a heart buried in there somewhere.
    “ But she quit after two days of Angel
screaming.”
    Tears fell freely thinking about how
terrified Angel must have been. “You’ll get the hang of it. She
lives with you now and needs you to take care of her.” She sobbed
the words through her tears.
    “ Christ, Amy.” He wiped her eyes with
a tenderness she’d never seen in him before. “I won’t get the hang
of it. I can’t be a father to her. I have too many issues to deal
with right now.”
    “ You’re not going to dump her on nanny
after nanny, are you? Lou, please.” She grabbed him by the arms.
“Don’t do this to your flesh and blood.”
    “ Shh.” He tipped her chin. “I’m not
going to do that.”
    “ Then what are you going to do?” She
held her breath and waited.
    “ She’s not my daughter. She never has
been. Oh, I donated the sperm, but nothing else.”
    “ Don’t talk like that. A girl needs
her father. Who’s going to teach her to dance, scare the boys away
or walk her down the aisle? All little girls need to feel like
they’re Daddy’s little girl.”
    “ Amy.” He chuckled.
    What was so funny? She didn’t find anything
funny at all.
    “ Don’t you see? She has all of those
things already.”
    “ Lou, you’re not making sense. I can’t
be those things to her.”
    “ No. But Gabe can. Gabe
is.”
    “ What are you saying?” Had she heard
him right? Was he giving Angel to her and…Gabe?
    He took a deep breath. “I’m saying that Gabe
loves Angel and she loves him. Who do you think calmed her
down?”
    “ Gabe was here?” Her heart leapt. She
wanted to see him, hold him and apologize for pushing him away over
the last week.
    “ Yeah. Who do you think broke my
nose?” He pointed to his face and grimaced. “Amy, I’m sorry. I’m
sorry for everything. For tricking you, blaming Gabe, keeping the
two of you apart. I’m sorry I’ve deprived Angel of a safe place to
live and a warm bed to sleep in.” He cupped her face with one hand.
“But mostly, I’m sorry for being crude and violating you. I never
should have forced you to…God, I don’t even want to say what I
did…I raped you.”
    There was no mistaking the tears glistening
on his cheeks. “Lou—”
    “ Hit me, slap me, or yell at me.
Something. Anything. I deserve it.”
    Stunned, she couldn’t believe her ears.
She’d waited five years to hear him say these things. Here it was,
happening and she didn’t know what to say. What to do. Or even how
she felt. Numb. Numb was a good word. Disbelieving was another.
    “ I don’t expect you to forgive me.
But, I’m signing my rights to Angel away. If you want Gabe—and I
know you do—then I won’t stand in your way. You and Angel were
always his anyway.” He sighed. “Even though you won’t believe me, I
like you, Amy. Gabe couldn’t have found a better woman. I don’t
know why I held on to you so tight, but I know Jenna would hate me
for what I’ve done to her best friend.”
    “ What will you do now?”
    “ I think I’m going to talk to someone.
I need to find peace with myself.”
    “ I think that’s a good plan.” She
placed her hand on his knee. “Thank you, Lou.” It didn’t excuse
what he’d done, but he was in pain. She didn’t have a lot in this
world, but she could show him some compassion. Bending over, she
kissed his cheek.
    Just then, Dan and Gabe walked in.
    Gabe stared at the two of them. She jumped
back, but he turned and bolted out the door.
    Shit!
    She rushed out after him. Finally, Lou was
stepping back and she’d hurt Gabe again with a simple act of
compassion. But Gabe wouldn’t have seen it that way. He’d never
believe that she didn’t want Lou. Her heart raced as her dreams
rushed away from her. She had to stop him, make him see she wanted
him. “Wait!”
    He