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Chapter One

Come to me

Had Miguel Aragon not signed the checks for Maggie’s college tuition and expenses, she wouldn’t have recognized her father’s bold, angular writing

Come to me

The single sheet of fine velludohtly over the hastily inked signature

Come to me

The threat of tears stung her hazel eyes She set the precious letter aside rather than allow the salty drops to ruin the only personal note she’d ever received froenerous with his wealth but not his ti sable curl behind her ear

Come to me

Why had he suroos of a child’s lonely heart Was it ent suined her to be as lovely a blonde as her mother, a woman he’d divorced with heartless haste o

Come to me

Repelled by the usually soothing view of the Tucson Mountains, she left the co room Peter Gunderson, her mother’s second husband, was the only father she’d known, although their relationship had been an aard one

She’d always been acutely aware that she wasn’t truly his, and now regretted not loving his, when he’d coleeful giggles and throw thelance up from her homework, wait for the end of Libby’s and Patty’s exuberant exchange with their bea father and voice a soft, painfully self-conscious, “Hello”

Her on, and Maggie suspected the dear woman was ashamed to have ever known the Spaniard, let alone borne hiht not to reach the logical conclusion that her existence created a lingering source of shame They lived in Edina, Minnesota, a Swedish enclave, and she was surrounded by children with angelic, fair coloring Her exotic looks often inspired cruel teasing

The year she’d been in second grade, her mother had made her a Gypsy costume for Halloith a beautiful black velvet skirt and vest Her classh the word Gypsy itself were obscene, and she’d run home in tears Her mother had been appalled her class costu description of beautiful Spanish Gypsies who danced with a fiery grace It was an ih the nicknaarded it as a compliment