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Once he’d finished paying for their drinks, he se?"

"Youto say to race to look embarrassed "I would have if you’d been home Who is that kid, anyway?"

Shana was surprised Jazhtened him "My niece You rehter"

"I ht?" Brad raised both eyebrows "The kid’s got attitude"

He hadn’t seen anything yet

"How’ve you been?" he asked, but before she could respond he added, "I’veto his script--she was supposed to tell hiretted the things she’d said and done

He waited, and when she didn’t ilad you’re here We have a lot to discuss"

"I ca her "You don’t need to say it We both made mistakes and we’re both sorry Let’s leave it at that"

"You think I made a mistake?"

"That’s why you’re here, isn’t it?"

She took her first sip of wine and let its sue "I cary and hurt"

"I know…"

"I don’t feel either of those things anymore I wanted to look you in the eye, see what I used to find so attractive" She sighed Whatever it was had long vanished "I really just came, Brad, to clear the air once and for all, and to do it properly"

Brad’s expression changed and he stared at her "You are co back to Portland, aren’t you?"

She loved this city and missed her job The ice-cream parlor de and the financial compensation small As a pharmaceutical salesperson, she’d been able to leave work at the end of the day and not give her job another thought Having a business of her oas a completely different proposition The ice-cream and pizza parlor had seemed like an escape from an unhappy situation, but for the first tiht decision

"Shana?" Brad asked, breaking into her s

"Portland? I don’t know," she admitted honestly

"You love me, don’t you?" He asked the question but she could tell he wasn’t as sure of hi the crack in his confidence weakened her resolve "That’s just it," Shana said "I loved you so completely and I was so sure you loved me"

"I do love you," Brad insisted "I know you were upset and you had every right to be I was a fool, but I swear to you it’ll never happen again I regretted it immediately I was sick that I lost you because of Sylvia"

Shana didn’t trust hi how much of the truth to reveal "We went out two or three ti to realize I’d est mistake of my life It’s you I love, Shana It’s you I want to be with"

The coe didn’t escape her In other words, they’d resume their relationship exactly where they’d left off His script again--but not hers

Brad th and determination in her eyes "You oodbye"

"Yes"

"But you loved me at one time I can’t believe you don’t now"

A sad smile formed but she refused to answer him

His own smile returned "You do love s for aze pleaded with her as he clasped her hand in both of his "You do love ain

She remained silent, and all at once he see herthat, a few ht have swayed her

"I want to marry you"

Even that didn’t elicit a response

"I’m sincere, Shana I couldn’t be any more serious You set the date and the ti this out, she told him the truth "I uy your niece , did it?" he asked, sitting back "So the real reason you’re here is to rub my face in it"

"No" Until thisabout Adaht you were in love withshe’d asked for that "I was in love with you, but that’s over" She paused "It’s funny, you know"

"I’"

She shook her head "I didn’t think it was possible to feel like this about a ood to me and to my niece… He’s a family friend That’s hoe met"