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"Thank you, Mack," she said

Suddenly the uneasiness returned "I apologize," Mary Jo said stiffly "I didn’t really give you a chance to explain why you caed "No reason I just wanted to be sure everything’s okay between us"

"It is," Mary Jo assured hi in perspective--although she couldn’t have said exactly how that had happened

Thirty-Six

"Are you okay, Dad?" Megan asked, studying Troy closely "You’re pale"

Troy couldn’t re in his life "It isn’t every day a man asks a woan asked As a child, she’d thought there wasn’t anything her daddy couldn’t do and she sooing to say yes"

Troy wished he shared his daughter’s confidence He hoped and prayed Faith would accept his proposal, and yet he had doubts On the one hand he felt optins that she wanted him in her life On the other…there’d been a few serious setbacks, and he wasn’t assuet your wo his cheek She steered him toward the front door "You’re sure Faith is home?"

Troy hadn’t stopped to think that Faith would be anywhere else on a Friday night They’d spoken a couple of tio, but their conversations had been an’s elbows jutted out as she put her hands on her hips "You mean to say you didn’t phone ahead?"

"Actually, no"

Without a word, Megan stalked over to the telephone and punched in Faith’s number She placed her hand over the receiver and looked up at hi"

That got his hackles up "Who with?" If Faith was seeing another man, Will Jefferson, for exa her head "I can’t believe you didn’t phone and say you wanted to talk to her You aren’t even an sounded more amused than annoyed

"Who could she be with?" Troy wondered out loud

"How a the wind out of his sails Troy left his daughter’s house, calling himself every name for stupid that he could re Faith had nothing better to do on a Friday night than sit ho an phoned

"Don’t ask me how I know, but Faith’s at the ht now?"

"Yes, now!"

"Which an told him and then with a s desire to see Clive Owen all of a sudden?"

"I sure do! Bye, sweetheart, and thanks"

"Good luck!"

Troy was out the door so fast he nearly ran to his car The theater parking lot was full and he had to circle twice before he found an e it to look as if their ht popcorn and a soda

The movie had already started and the theater was so dark he couldn’t see anything beyond his oo feet He slipped into the first available seat and scanned the backs of people’s heads, hoping to find Faith

Although he squinted and leaned forward, nearly du his popcorn and his drink, he was unable to identify her In fact, it wasn’t until the credits scrolled across the screen and the lights came up that he saw Faith

She ith Grace and Olivia, only about four rows ahead of hiht not happen, so he approached the that sounded less contrived than he suspected it did

"Yes, ilance with Olivia Or was that a san phoned Jack," Olivia said under her breath In other words, they knew he’d been looking for Faith

"Hi, Troy," Faith said, ignoring her friends Her slad we ran into you"

"Yeah,hione out of her way to make him feel comfortable

By this tiers from the concession stand started down the center aisle with a broo the rows for stray popcorn and assorted trash

"Maybe we should talk outside," Troy suggested He could hardly take his eyes off Faith Suddenly realizing that Olivia and Grace aiting, obviously interested in what he had to say, he added, "I’ll drive you ho to the Pancake Palace," Grace said "Would you care to join us?"

Faith looked at hiistered when Grace repeated his name "Oh…sure," he muttered absently