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"Okay" He nodded sole We’ll go in and see hilad he’d si her hands on his shoulders, she kissed his cheek It’d been a long time since she’d done that and she wasn’t sure why she did it now Perhaps it was to show her gratitude Not just for this but for everything

"What about Grad Party?" her father asked She suspected he’d purposely steered the conversation away froo in a little while Wake raduation class, was scheduled for later that evening It was the last tiether Froo their separate ways

"Okay, good" Her father left the den to attend to their guests

Allison returned to her bedrooht decision

"Allison," her mother called from out in the hallway

"I’ herself to s a convenient excuse

"Here" Rosie handed her a single red rose in a crystal vase "This came for you It was delivered just now, and there’s a card with it, too Who would do souess; she knew Anson He hadn’t co

Taking the rose and the card, she looked up at her mother, and the expression in her eyes must have conveyed the truth

"Anson?" her mother whispered

"I think so"

"Rosie, we’re out of punch," Zach announced from the hall

Allison could have kissed him Her mother turned around and spoke briefly to her father as she walked past

"That’s froed "I think so," she said again

He hesitated for only an instant before he left her to open the card in privacy Inside was a sie I will always love you Anson

Allison closed her eyes and, leaning against the wall, whispered back, "I will always love you, too Always, always, always"

Thirty-One

The only person Teri could talk to about this was Rachel Pendergast and rather than spill her heart out over the phone, she drove to her friend’s rental By the time she arrived at Rachel’s, her eyes had flooded with tears and she was an e fro ticket on her way here

Rachel answered her door, and irief, what’s wrong?"

Collapsing onto her friend’s sofa, Teri covered her face and burst into tears She doubled over, leaning her forehead against her knees Rachel sat down next to her, placing one ar sounds

"I’ve done so really stupid," Teri bellowed out between sobs All at once she was so furious she couldn’t contain her anger

"You’d better tellvoice as she continued to rub her back

Teri pounded her foot against the carpet "I am so stupid, I can’t believe this I just can’t believe it!"

"Teri" Rachel was beginning to sound frustrated with her

"It’s his fault," she cried "It’s all Bobby’s fault"

"What is?" Rachel asked

Teri held out her hand As she’d expected, Rachel gasped when she saw the huge dia

"I’m in love," Teri shouted "I said I’dto work Bobby is…Bobby" She stamped her foot some more "He loves me! At first I didn’t think it was possible He doesn’t even know me, the real me, but he says it doesn’t matter"

"He phones you every day, doesn’t he?"

"Three tied to reach her, and the sad part was, Teri lived for his calls They never lasted long, but heAnd his innocent expressions of love brought her to tears

He claiet" romance, but he was about the most romantic man she’d ever met He loved her She didn’t understand why, and yet he loved her No ar did He was constantly proving it If she made even the most casual comment, some silly remark like she enjoyed pickles, then he had a case delivered to her doorstep He showered her with gifts, half of which she refused The only thing he’d ever asked of her was to marry him He’d asked over and over, and in a enius shouldn’t be married to someone like her Bobby needed a as his intellectual equal She wasn’t even close She had to back out of this ridiculous engagement

"He phones three times a day?" Rachel repeated

Teri sniffled "Before I go to work in the o to bed" Bobby’s chess-playing had never been better, and he was convinced it was all due to her He wasn’t talking about the haircuts she’d given him, either