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Alyssa was silent. She didn’t know what to say. All she knew was that her emotions were running in opposite directions. She was moved beyond measure by Diane’s kindness. She didn’t want to cry, but for some reason her generosity moved her deeply. Maybe because her own mother had never shown it to her.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “As much as I appreciate your offer, I can’t. It won’t work out. By the time I get off and drive here, it would be in the early hours of the morning. Thank you, though.”

“Figured you’d say that. So how about you bring her to me Thursday night and pick her up on Sunday? That way you guys can come for Sunday dinner, too? I don’t know where you and John are at relationship wise, but that doesn’t matter to us.”

Alyssa swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Honey, I raised four rowdy boys. What’s one more? A little MS can’t slow me down.” She winked at Alyssa. “Go home and think about it before you decide.”

“I guess I could always pay you instead of Natalie …”

“Don’t you dare! I will not take your hard earned money. You save it. Spend it on Brooke if you want, but you are not paying me. Do you understand?”

Alyssa’s heart was heavy. Diane threw her a curve ball. “Diane … I can’t do—“

“Yes, you can. No ifs, ands, or buts, about it.”

“Diane—“

“Alyssa, I will not argue with you about this. I will not accept your money.”

“I’m sorry, I just can’t do it. It wouldn’t be right.”

Diane let go of Alyssa’s hands and sat back. She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to the side, her strong, grayish-blue eyes never leaving Alyssa’s. “You’re just as hardheaded as me.” They both sat in silence staring off at each other. Alyssa wasn’t backing down. In what felt like ten minutes was probably only one when Diane said, “Fine. You have a deal.”

“Really? Just like that?”

“Really?”

“Yes. If you feel like you need to pay me, that’s fine. Anyway I can spend time with that little ball of sweetness, I’ll take it.”

Alyssa smiled so big her cheeks hurt. Once again, The Jackson’s generosity hit Alyssa hard. As much as she would like the help, would she be able to leave her daughter for all those days once a month?

John mimicked Luke’s pose and crossed his legs in front, resting back in the wicker chair. He just finished telling Luke about what happened with Ben and the custody papers.

“Wow,” he whistled. “Gotta say, I wasn’t expecting that from you.”

“She’s been through a lot, I just want her to be happy.”

Luke nodded his head in agreement. “That’s a cute kid in there. You seem pretty attached.”

He looked at his brother with an ear to ear grin. “I am. She’s got me wrapped around her sticky finger.”

“And Alyssa is okay with this?”

John chuckled. “Depends what time of the day you ask her.”

Luke looked at him and John answered the question Luke had written on his face without having to ask it. “She thinks I’m going to just up and leave if it gets to be too much and she doesn’t want that for Brooke. I’ve told her a thousand times I’m not going anywhere. I think she’s finally starting to see it.”

“You’re young, man, twenty-one. You sure you want this kind of responsibility?” Luke asked, brows raised high.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind, Luke. She’s everything to me.”

“And you’re sure? There’s a kid involved. You can’t mess around like that.”

Wasn’t that the same thing Alyssa had been telling him? Why didn’t anyone believe him when he said he wasn’t playing around?

“Put yourself in my shoes. What if that was Livy? What would you do?”