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The phone was still ringing and Shana looked around to see where Jazmine had disappeared Nor the phone because her niece leaped on it like a hungry cat on a cornered et it," she called out when she saw that the bathrooainst her shoulder and turned to the cupboard in a second attempt to find a supper solution

"Hello" The cupboard, stacked with canned foods, offered little in the way of ideas

"Shana"

"Adam?" In her excitement she nearly dropped the phone She’d hoped she’d hear from him, but hadn’t dared believe Heabout her Instantly her heart went on alert She was afraid to put too le phone call and yet so pleased it was all she could do not to leap up and down

"How’s hed and leaned against the wall "I’reat" Especially now that she’d heard frohed "She’s great, too I want you to knoe had a pity party over you"

"A what?"

"Never " She felt so buoyant, so happy, she couldn’t prevent a giggle fro out

Adaot an e-"

"You received an e-mail from her already?"

"Actually she sent this before I flew out Can I ask you so?"

"Sure"

"Jazz said that Brad phoned you recently"

"Jealous?" she asked lightly, dis the question because he had no reason for concern It would be ainst another, and she refused to do it

"A little," he admitted with obvious reluctance "I need to know if you’re serious about Brad"

"You’re phoning me all the way from Hawaii because you’re afraid of a little competition?" she asked "Adam, you should know better than that"

"Cohten me, but I have to knohere I stand with you"

"I can’t believe you’re talking about Brad," she said, letting her bewilder to Jazmine, you have what she calls issues and one of those issues is Brad, and I figured--"

"Brad," she interrupted, "is out of my life"

"Apparently no one bothered to tell him that I know of two times he’s contacted you Are there others?"

Shana was completely dumbfounded now "You men are all alike," she snapped "You’re so…so territorial Why are we even having this conversation?" She lifted the hair from her forehead and pressed her hand there as if to contain her outrage--or her growing headache Unfortunately it didn’t work She could think of only one reason Brad had revealed any new interest, and that was because he believed she’d become involved with anotherthe very sa

"Are you upset with " If she had to tell hi in her communication skills "Yes, Ada concern is that I o back to Brad"

They both took a moment to let the sparks die down Shana was afraid to say anything more, afraid the conversation would deteriorate further and they’d reach a point of no return

The bathroom door opened then and Jazmine stepped out, hair wrapped in a towel

"Here," Shana said, shoving the telephone receiver toward her "It’s your uncle Adam Talk to him"

"Shana, we aren’t finished yet," she heard him yell

"Oh, yes, we are," she said loud and clear She just couldn’t resist

Jazmine tentatively accepted the phone, but the conversation was short Angry, and uncertain how to cope with her anger, Shana paced across the kitchen floor to theand stood there, staring out at the garden