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"Me, too," Bethanne said Both Ruth and Annie had questioned her repeatedly about the time she’d spent with Max It wasn’t that she didn’t have an answer, because she did Her thoughts, however, were ones she wanted to keep to herself Although she was unlikely to see Max again, she couldn’t help being curious about him She’d wanted to ask about his wife, Kate, and what had coo--and stay there

Annie glanced fro froo downstairs and gaht?" Ruth asked "Not me"

"Me, neither," Bethanne concurred

"You ht in a casino hotel and no one wants to play the slot ain, and yawned

"I’ll wait until Vegas," Bethanne added She was tired; besides, she’d already promised herself a forty-dollar limit, theit yet "But, Annie, if you want to check out the casino, go ahead"

"Okay," her daughter muttered, but she didn’t sound enthusiastic In fact, she stayed where she was, her expression perplexed and a bit glum

Ruth took the first shower and Bethanne went next, brushing her teeth and changing into her pajamas When she ca to Grant

With her cell against her ear, Annie paced the roouilty as soon as she saw Bethanne

"Mom’s here now Do you want to talk to her?"

Apparently, Grant did, because Annie thrust the phone at her Bethanne hesitated, then reluctantly took it She didn’t owe Grant any explanations and she didn’t plan on listening to his complaints, either

"Hello, Grant"

"It seeh his coled with irritation

"We’re fine"

"Bethanne, don’t you realize what a crazy risk you took?"

"Like I said, we’re fine Nothing happened" She didn’t want or need a lecture from him

"You rode off with a biker? A biker?"

"His name is Max, and like I told your entle how best to continue "Annie suggested they s You re the corporate world? She even said they went skinny-dipping, just like in the movie"

"I…don’t know about that What I do know is that they caain he paused "Proain"

"Grant, I’m not a child" She appreciated his concern but at the sa She hadn’t been in any danger; her instincts told her as rasp that she was an independent wos, she wasn’t about to let him scold her

"I know that, and it’s your business if you want to take those kinds of risks But don’t drag Annie and htness of his words told Bethanne that he was struggling to hold on to his tee the subject," she said, unwilling to get into an argu Still, she didn’t feel she’d had any choice

"Fine," he snapped "We’ll change the subject" But he didn’t introduce a different topic; neither did she

"Would you like to speak to Annie again?" she asked a few seconds later

"Please"

Bethanne handed her daughter the cell

Turning her back on both her ht, Daddy, I will I know" This was followed by a short silence "I know Okay Goodbye I’ll check in toht, I promise" She closed the cell, then turned around and stared at Bethanne

"What?" Bethanne asked She’d crawled under the sheets and opened her book Ruth had turned off her light and was asleep, or pretending to be

"You upset Dad," Annie said "All he cares about is our safety There was no need to get huffy with hied "Did I?"