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Apparently Faith hadthe carpet, each pretending to ignore the other

Okay, fine, he’d take the initiative "I apologize for this," he said curtly "I had no idea Megan was setting us up"

"I didn’t, either," Faith told hi at each other Only hed together and shared h "Listen, about the other night--"

"Last week in the grocery store--" Faith started speaking at the same time

They both stopped and stared at each other

"Ladies before gentleestured toward her

"You spoke first" She motioned back at him

Troy hardly knehere to begin He made a couple of aard attempts "When I saw you…" He paused "I never should’ve said the things I…"

Faith sizing, Troy Davis?"

He chuckled and conceded with a nod "I aet stuck in your throat?"

"With you they seeree

Her shoulders relaxed "I admit no one has the power to unsettle me as much as you do"

They continued to stand in their respective areas, Faith near the front door, Troy on the other side of the rooood or bad?" he asked

She took a uess"

With that, it see there was to be said The strained silence returned When Troy could no longer stand not knowing, he asked, "Are you still planning to move?"

Faith broke eye contact "I don’t know… I think it ht be for the best"

"Because of me?"

She smiled at that "Why is it men always assume they’re the sole reason for a woman’s decisions?"

"I don’t know Why?"

"You ask that as if I’ive you a punch line" She shook her head in auess the answer is that ue with her "You’re probably right"

Troy thought he saw Megan poke her head around the corner, but she didn’t return with her "found" knitting

His pride felt like a lued to speak around it "Don’t leave, Faith" If she ret that he hadn’t asked her to stay He’d regret that he hadn’t tried to stop her

To his utter astonishment, her eyes filled with tears He had no idea what he could’ve said to cause such a reaction Every ti he wanted Feeling completely helpless, he covered the distance between them and wrapped his arradually, he felt her resolve weaken as she leaned against hian cleared her throat as she entered the rooers

"Here’s the blanket," his daughter announced in an unnecessarily loud voice

"Oh, let me see," Faith said with erly she walked away froan

Troy could see that Faith’s skin was flushed with e, Troy’s mind whirled with hope and excitehter than they’d been in weeks

In his heart of hearts, he was convinced Faith loved hi apart was ridiculous He knehat he wanted, and that was to have Faith in his life They were iven tian, you’ve done a splendid job"

His daughter fairly beamed at Faith’s praise "Did you notice theto what must’ve been a small flaw in the blanket

"No, and no one else will, either"

"I do, but I have to look for it Re?"

Faith frowned and gave a slight shrug

"You said," Megan reminded her, "that if it bothered me I should rip it out and repair theset it"

"Re Knit, purl--"

"--and rip," Megan completed for her "That isn’t technically a stitch, but it’s certainly part ofprocess"

"It’s part of everyone’s process," Faith said, and they both laughed

Faith made a couple of other complimentary remarks about the blanket while Troy waited patiently

"I should be going," he said pointedly when Megan brought out the new yarn she’d purchased It was obvious that she and Faith had becoood friends and shared an easy caaze io, too Oh, look at the ti will be home soon, won’t he? You tant to have dinner"

"Okay," Megan said Troy supposed she figured her as done

Troy held the door for Faith and was about to follow her when Megan placed her hand on his ar him "You’re not upset with me, are you?"

Troy looked over at Faith and saw that she stood next to her car, waiting for hi, and I could see you were too stubborn"

"Me? Stubborn?" Troy protested "What about Faith? She’s the stubborn one"

"Maybe so, but I doubt it" Megan rose up on the tips of her toes and kissed his cheek "Don’t let her get away, Dad"