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"Are you sorry we met?" he asked

"No" Away from him, she’d wavered But now that she heard his voice, she knew she didn’t have a single regret

"I’o now" She couldn’t talk to him because she was afraid she’d reverse her decision

"All right, but I have to tell you soood idea to listen, but she couldn’t help herself

"When we last spoke, you said you couldn’t think about any of this, about Grant oryou to that, Bethanne Whatever decision you make needs to wait until after July 16--that’s when the cereht?"

"But…"

"I won’t call you But you should understand that I’ haul"

"But… Grant’s trying so hard," she said again

"So would I if I were in his shoes The fact is, I’, too I care about you, Bethanne I didn’t think I could fall in love again You proved "

With every word he spoke, her resolve seemed to melt

"Like I said, you won’t hear from me, but I want to see you after the sixteenth If, at that time, you feel a relationship between us won’t work I’ll accept that But you’re going to have to tell me to my face and not over the phone"

"Don’t, Max, please don’t"

"Don’t what?"

"Don’t love h"

Her plea was ," he finally said "But I’s on and off like a faucet This is what I feel, and it’s not going to change no ive Grant a chance"

"Then you should"

He didn’t offer a single argu so a too hard on you"

"You want me to let Grant try to persuade me?"

"Yes, because that’s the only way you can decide We’ll ," he continued "The two of us are going to sit down and you’re going to tell ot off a flight and you’re feeling tired and pressured"

"Yes," she whispered She kne that she’d been unfair to hilad you did Just hearing fro else before she started crying again "Did everything go ith you and your brother?"

"Extre my position in the business What’s your email address? I’ll send you a link so you can check it out"

She rattled it off before she could change her mind

"I’ll talk to you in a feeeks"

"Goodbye, Max"

"Goodbye,up the phone and fell onto the thick down co for a pillow, she bunched it up under her head and closed her eyes, thinking she’d rest for a few minutes The next time she stirred, it was dark outside and she felt chilled

When she realized she’d been asleep, Bethanne sat up and waited for her vision to adjust to the dark She’d had no idea she was this tired True, she hadn’t slept well in several nights…

Oh, no Had she really phoned Max or was that part of some weird dream? Her stomach tensed It felt far too real to have been a dreaed herself off the bed and took a hot bath, got into her paja back the covers She cli

Once she was up and dressed, she brewed coffee and put a load of clothes in the washer Then she sat at her hoes appeared, the most current at the top, she saw Max’s name and inhaled sharply He’d said he would forward a link to his company website, but she hadn’t expected hi, picked up the phone

"I called you last night, didn’t I?" she said when he answered

"Yes Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes I…I’m sorry"

"I mean what I said, Bethanne"

"Good"

She heard Rooster’s voice in the background

"I’ you," she said

"Not really Rooster’s helping ot an appointent this afternoon"

This was the house he’d lived in with Kate and their daughter Hewith a lot of difficult emotional issues "Where will you move?" she asked

"That depends"

"On what?"

He didn’t hesitate "You"