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There was a text from Colin Hart that said, Can't wait to meet Gabby.
And a text from Dylan Hart that said, I'm out of town, but I'll change my plans to be back for the party. Gotta make up for lost time with her.
And a text from Brody Hart. Fuck, Bella. Alive? They're both alive? Damn straight I want to meet them. Keegan must be losing his shit to have Sascha back and to have a kid. Tatum and I will both be there tomorrow. Tell Gabby she's one of us and always will be. She's got a second family now.
Tears filled Sofia's eyes and she put the phone down on the table. "How can you guys be like that? I don't understand."
"Because that's who we are," Bella said, sitting down across from Sofia. "Family is literally all we have. The money is secondary. Family is what matters, both the kind you create and the kind you're born into." She smiled at Gabby. "Can't wait to get to know you better, Gabby. We need more girl power in this family."
Sofia sat back in her seat, watching her daughter, her precious one-and-only, pluck Millie from Keegan's arms, and then cuddle the dog while she chatted animatedly with Bella. Gabby was so thrilled to be a part of the Harts, to have this instant huge family who all loved her.
Suddenly, Sofia felt woefully inadequate. She'd always worked so hard to be enough for Gabby, to give her the security and support she needed. But as she watched Gabby come to life with Keegan, Bella, and Millie, she knew she hadn't done enough, been enough.
She wanted nothing more than to grab her kid, take her home, and pretend none of this had ever happened.
But Pandora's Box had been opened, as she'd known it would.
There was no way to close it without destroying her daughter, and probably Sofia's relationship with her.
Gabby's smile faded at Sofia's silence. "Mom? We can go, can't we?"
"Look," Keegan said. "Your car isn't safe to drive right now anyway. We'll finish the deliveries today, and then head back. You guys meet everyone, then crash at my place. I'll send someone to get your car, we'll get you some tire chains, and then you can head back."
She sighed. "Keegan—"
"Sascha." He lowered his voice, just for her, but she was aware of Bella and Gabby leaning in.
She shifted restlessly. "What?"
"I will not trap you or Gabby. I swear it."
She said nothing.
"Tell the gremlin in your head that's freaking out to take a two-minute break so you can think clearly."
She raised her brows. "That works?"
"Yeah, it does." He grinned, showcasing two adorable dimples. "Try it."
Sofia took a deep breath, and asked the gremlin in her head to take a two-minute break from freaking out. To her surprise, she felt the panic ease off slightly, and she could suddenly breathe again. Suddenly, she felt the tension ease from her body.
Keegan wasn't like her ex. He never would be like her ex. And deep in her heart, she'd known that. If she hadn't been absolutely certain he was a good man, she never would have told Gabby his name, regardless of the promise she'd made to her daughter.
Keegan was Gabby's biological dad, and if both he and Gabby wanted to make it real, well, her daughter deserved it. It was scary as hell for Sofia, but what could she do? All that mattered was her daughter's well-being, and honestly, it would be a tremendous relief to know that if anything ever happened to her, Gabby would never have to be alone.
"Mom? Please? I want to go with them." Gabby paused. "I want us to go with them."
As Gabby stared at her hopefully, Sofia suddenly knew that they had to go. Keegan was an unresolved part of both their pasts, and neither of them would be whole until it was faced. She had to go, not just for Gabby, but for herself…as difficult as it would be. Sofia managed a smile. "Well, I'm certainly not about to let you ride off into the sunset with some strange man and his sidekick all by yourself."
"Yay!" Gabby squealed with delight. "You're the best, Mom!"
"Perfect!" Bella looked thrilled as well. "I knew we were meant to go on this road trip. We were supposed to find each other."
While Gabby started to grill Bella about their next stop, Sofia looked over at Keegan. He was watching her thoughtfully, looking so insanely tempting that she knew she should have said no…and equally glad she hadn't.
"Just one more thing," Bella said.
Sofia looked over at her. "What's that?"
