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"How about dessert?" Jason suggested after the waitress had taken their dinner dishes away

She shook her head "No, thanks I’o ahead, though," she urged

Jason i her initial i dessert, what did he want? He seemed restless, yet obviously wasn’t inclined to leave

Whatever was bothering Jason wasn’t trivial, Charlotte realized Jason Manning wasn’t ashe’d done, so she’d said She didn’t knohat to hout dinner, she’d considered various explanations, none of which seeered as they sipped their after-dinner coffee From the moment he’d picked her up, she’d been surprised that Jason earing a suit, the saht of the dance His brother’s suit She knew very well that he didn’t dress formally unless it was some important occasion His entire wardrobe consisted of jeans and T-shirts

He hated wearing a suit Five minutes after they’d arrived at the dance, he’d loosened his tie, and had co Why he’d worn one this evening re to analyze rong Waiting for Jason to tell her washer nervous He looked ly miserable

She felt close to Jason, closer than she’d felt to any man since Tom She hadn’t meant that to happen, and she didn’t think Jason had, either Their relationship had grown steadily more intense in the past weeks She’d fallen in love--it was that si in love wasn’t what Jason wanted Perhaps he was trying to find a way to tell her they were in too deep, that he wanted out

It ret The fact that his eyes kept avoiding hers The silence That was the worst The aard silence, as though he couldn’t bear to speak those final words

"I’m ready to leave, if you are," she said with false enthusiasm

He looked over at her, his expression uncertain Perhaps he planned to tell her in the restaurant, in order to avoid a scene She’d heard that was a popular tactic All Charlotte wanted to do was leave, before sheto break up with her; she was sure of it A hundred explanations crowded her otten too close, too fast It wasn’t as if she was…unencule, but she had a child, and if a et serious with a woe That was coh froht have disapproved of her, too It wasn’t as if she ca family Hisabout her parents and grandparents Charlotte had found it difficult to explain that she had no idea where her father was, or even if he was still alive Neither of the elder Mannings had see, they’d been warht have accepted her, even liked her, theykind of woman for their son

Jason paid the bill while Charlotte excused herself for a visit to the ladies’ roo for her by the door when she returned

Silence acco lot

Jason opened her door By the time he’d walked around the front of his car, Charlotte’s hold on her poise was tenuous When he glanced in her direction, though, she ed a smile Her pride demanded it

Charlotte expected Jason to drive her directly to the apartment, since he hadn’t been able to break the news to her at the restaurant At least when he delivered the blow, it would be in the cos

But he drove to a deserted stretch of beach, then pulled off the road, climbed out of the car and ca at her watch "I should be getting home Carrie’s by herself"

"In a minute" He wore a pensive frown, the saazed past him to the shoreline S Charlotte wasn’t soothed, however, and she looked away to the wide expanse of darkening sky The scent of the sea hung in the air

"Just say it," she muttered Her patience had evaporated and she couldn’t bear the painful silence anymore

"You know?"

"Of course I know" She walked onto the sand, re at a thick log that was charred at one end

Sing a mouthful of self-pity, she looked over her shoulder to discover that Jason had followed her onto the beach She almost wished he’d driven away, left her behind It would’ve been easier that way

Her legs didn’t feel as if they’d support her htlessly out at the horizon, waiting for hi explanations

"Charlotte…I’"

"Who is? Listen, it’s been great" She strove to sound flippant and knew she’d failed She lowered her gaze to her hands, forcing herself to continue "I’ll always be grateful for this time with you" Tears rolled down her cheeks and she brushed the to look at Jason "But as we both know, all good thingsNot one word, and thateven more difficult

His hands were buried in his pants pockets and when she glanced up at his face, she saw that his jaas tightly clenched She didn’t understand his anger, not when she’d h that whole onis me squirm?"