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"I’ I do care"

"You care so uy"

Grant’s face darkened to an angry red "I never planned to stay Besides, why should you care if I go? You don’t need another wannabe parent hanging around anyway"

"Daed back the rest of his one, like he’d just pushed it away

Dale wished he kne to do the saht he’d wanted his dad out of his life, but now that he was gone and there was no hope of hi back, he wasn’t so sure At least when Wyatt was in prison, there was a chance he’d becos would be different between them But not now All those chances were over

Grant stood and laid a strong hand on Dale’s shoulder He should have jerked away or shaken it off, but so in him reveled in the coht now, but I want you to know so I wished someone had told me when my mom died"

"What’s that, oh expert?"

His aze was steady, confident "It will get better Maybe not ht away, but you won’t always feel like this"

Dale prayed he was right He wasn’t sure how long he was going to be able to stand feeling the way he did now--suffering through this constant, searing pain, like so chunk of hi ive a fuck about school or his SATs He couldn’t even bring hiether, anyway Why bother?

He just wanted to crawl back into bed and try to sleep It was the only thing that worked Thank God he had a bottle of sleeping pills to help hiet there

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Grant lay on the couch, unable to sleep Thoughts of what he’d do and where he’d go now that he was leaving Isabelle filled his head It should have been an easy decision for hi about what he’d do after he left the ar he wanted Except stay here

Sunlight filtered through the living-room curtains It wasn’t even six, but Caleb had always been an early riser

It was selfish of him to make the call, but he couldn’t seem to stop himself He felt too alone not to reach out to his friends

Caleb answered on the second ring "Hey, Grant Hold on a sec," he said in a whisper

Grant heard Lana round, then the click of a door closing "What’s up?" asked Caleb

"I was calling to see how Lana was" It was only partly the truth, but ithis friends’ rest

"David didn’t tell you our good news?"

"No, but I could sure use sonant" Grant could hear the proud sratulations,better?"

"The flu is gone, thank God Morning sickness h tiot the dehydration under control and she’s honant, I wouldn’t have freaked out quite sothrough fertility treatments"

"We’d saved up for them but hadn’t actually started the process Noe can use that et a house Fix up a nursery"

"I’m so happy for you" And he was The tension in his body had started to ease at the sound of his buddy’s happiness

"I just wish you were going to be around, ot a job lined up yet?"

"Not yet"

"I’ Hell, you could be a recruiter froreat I don’t think the ets done"

Grant’s hand tightened against a stab of jealousy "Good to hear Think David will need any more help?"

"Not with Mad around Thathole opened up in Grant’s chest, and his last shred of hope flew out of it "Sounds like it’s really working out, then"

"I’ve never seen David happier"

"He deserves it You do, too"

"How are things on your end?" asked Caleb "How’s it working with your lady?"

Grant forced his voice to a careless tone "Didn’t work out"

"Sorry, le feh Think of all those woet to enjoy now that you’re a freeout o as it had always been Maybe it was just a passing thing He sure as hell hoped so

"I was thinking I’d come for a visit," said Grant

"I’d love to see you, but can we hold off for a feeeks? Lana’s still feeling sick, and whatever ti There wouldn’t be any tiht now, and I don’t want to have you conore you"

"Oh, sure No proble but tireat"

Grant heard Lana say soround he couldn’t quite o,some crackers, and she’s all out"