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I nodded without thought, but then I said, "No"

She started forward and pulled out the chair next to ers that’d been resting in my lap and sucked in a shocked breath "Your hands are freezing"

"Are they?" I looked down at them I didn’t really feel therip She tried to rub some life into them, but that only made me want to yank them away

So I did pull the them to remain cold Lifeless Dead Exactly how I felt, how I deserved to feel

Aspen lifted her face in shock She opened herher and I knew pulling away had, so I cleared my throat "I" Then I shook my head I just couldn’t say it "II went to the doctor today, to get set up on birth control And--"

"Oh!" Her eyes greide as she pressed a hand to her chest "II’ anyone"

I blinked Crap Had I just blurted that out? Face flaan to shake nore about the doctor’s visit?"

I continued to gape at her "Are you going to tell Noel?" I held my breath for the answer

"U away all her uncertainties Loyalty to her husband battled with loyalty to me "I don’t--That isno, if you’d prefer I notI’m sure it’s no more his business than it is mine what you do in yourprivate time, butas a friend, and new sister, I know I’d veryht had just struck her Leaning closer, she lowered her voice "There is just one young h She was just so cute when she was atte to be appropriate and not cross any of ht "Yes," I told her "There’s just one" I s man"

She flushed and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear "Sorry, I didn’t knohat to call hi awful flooded back to the surface Feeling like shit, I confessed, "Yeah Neither do I"

Aspen reached forhow I’d just pulled away from her "You know," she started slowly "If you ever need to talk about anything, I’m here I’ll even promise not to report every detail back to Noel But sometimes, people justthey need someone to talk to"

I s in her lap The muscles in her face iers I was about to tell her I had Zoey to confide in, but then I wondered if she wanted a friend as much as she seemed to want me to have one So I blurted, "The doctor doesn’t think I’ll ever be able to have children"

Her eyes immediately filled with horror as her hands clamped around mine "Oh ers "Ithis was the first tiist since last year I had no idea I’d messed so much up when I--" I lifted my face and tears filled my eyes "I’ve completely ruined my future, haven’t I?"

"No! No, sweetheart You can still have a full, happy life You--"

"If I’d known that would’ve been my one and only chance to ever have a baby--"

"Please don’t think about that I don’t want this to distress you"

I shook my head "What else am I supposed to think about, Aspen? I may never be able to hold row up Never" I shook my head when my voice wavered "How can I not think about that? How can I not regret falling for some stupid, rich boy whose stupid rich parents talkedI didn’t want to do?"

Tears filled Aspen’s eyes as well "You’re right," she ad ed her back hard and buriedsoothing words of coainst the back screen door

"Yoo hoo" The door ca"