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"He was always a tough guy But no, he’s gotten worse Isn’t that what they say happens with age? Can’t teach an old dog new tricks, and all that?"

"Maybe so" Though Billy wasn’t entirely convinced In fact, he thought he had the ht be that he’s just frustrated he can’t get around like he did before"

She nodded, letting the idea sink in "Yeah, I’ve been thinking about what you said before It’s got to sting, letting go of so hed "Either way, I thought his head was going to explode when he lost power to the TV"

"Hey," he said, "speaking of electricity, there sure were sparks flying between Laura and Eddie"

"Laura? No way You thought ain twenty pounds, sprout wings, and fly before she hooks up with a Sierra Falls ene Ato hold on to" He reached across the car to squeeze her thigh "And hey"--his fingers slid up to give that luscious ru with Sierra Falls men?"

She squir with Sierra Falls men We attract only the finest" It was her turn to reach across, resting her hand on his thigh, growing thoughtful "Laura hightailed it out of here after high school and wants nothing to do with the place I’m sure she pictures herself in some urban loft somewhere, shacked up with a dot-co enough to give her a perplexed look "Then why is she still hanging around?"

"Now that’s the question" Sorrow leaned back, kicking her feet up on the dash "Maybe she’s hoping her dreae"

"Maybe there’s soht about just asking her?"

"I tried," she said, disument I mean, you could have a sisterly heart-to-heart"

"Uhh, no thanks," Sorrow said "I’ve grown fond of my head and would prefer to keep it attached to h "It’s obvious she’s wound pretty tight, but…I don’t know…She was a pretty big help at Euess she has done a lot for the festival," Sorrow adold rush dinner"

"That’s great"

"Yeah, I guess it kind of is" She shrugged "She’s constantly online, doing whatever she does So out next week to do a write-up on Buck Larsen and his days in Sierra Falls"

"That’s cool," Billy said enthusiastically "That’s so in uests than usual"

"I guess," she said grudgingly

"So what’s the proble more visitors Your sister wants you to cook for everyone She reat, sure But I’ apart at the sea else breaks Apparently, so ood, but it means s to stay on top of"

"You’re overwhelmed, and it seems like Laura wants to help It’s not like you love every aspect of running the business Why don’t you let her have a crack at it?"

"Have a crack at it…" Sorrow’s feet slid fro to clean up theto pick up the pieces when Laura decides she’s done and takes off again?"

Alarms sounded in Billy’s head There was some tricky history between the sisters--Sorrow had beenit uessed

He made a snap decision to broach a topic that ently, "if she decides to take off again, I think we ht have soave a rueful laugh "First the Laura hard sell You’re not going to foist Ruby and Pearl onyou an assistant At least I think he will" He waited, excited and anxious to see her response

But she looked at hih he’d just spoken in Greek "Assistant? What kind of assistant?"

"The helpful kind," he said "The kind who’ll rocery runs"

"An assistant," she said in a dreamy voice "How fancy I’ll believe it when I see it"

"Well, you’ll need one Because I’ you to Silver City"

"Cool" She paused "Why?"

"Remember my chef buddy?"