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"Pushy bastard Fine I’ll et your scruff outta hed and eased back "Tell "

"I have to work at the WNRC toht So how about if I call you?"

Nice try "Sure But since you don’t have rabbed her left arainst the wall He reits down her forearod, you are such a pain in my ass," Rory snapped "You couldn’t have just written it on a scrap of paper?"

"Nope" Keeping hold of her araze on hers, he kissed her wrist "Because you’d conveniently lose it I want you seeing that number and thinkin’ of me"

"Fair is fair Gimme that" She snatched the Sharpie, pushed up the sleeve of his therer

He bit back a laugh when she realized what she’d done--now even if she didn’t call hiot to kiss it"

"No, I didn’t And for the record? I hate the beard"

"So noted"

She turned and storet to the end of the hallway before he said, "Rory"

She whirled around "What?"

"I’oin’ anywhere"

Then he slipped out the side exit

After Rory got holass of bourbon in her hand

I’ain

Hah What was she supposed to do with that? Believe hi and had the potential to fuck up her head again Dalton being in Sundance, showing up at her job Acting so un-Dalton-like, sweet and contrite

Bull He acted like that all the ti from you, and it worked every tiain She’d been down this road with him before

Three times as a matter of fact

Rory drained her drink and flopped in the big Papasan chair, pulling her knees up to her chest She closed her eyes Maybe she’d drift off before the memories crushed her

No such luck

For days after the unexpected and abrupt halt to the wedding, Rory had re the supportive best friend Running interference with Addie’s family members ere out for Dalton’s head on a spike Or a bloodletting Or both

But Rory hadn’t chi supreme Yes, it hurt to see Addie’s e part--wasn’t surprised Rory had been a victi ways--not that she’d ever shared thoseto share with anyone

So when Dalton had fled the cereh to know the ht thing in stopping it before it started Maybe he could’ve come to that determination before he was literally ready to say I do but she’d secretly given hi for once in his life

After several of Addie’s relatives bragged to her that they’d dished out the beating Dalton deserved, and no one had seen thefor him

Maybe it was luck, maybe it was karma, maybe it was fate that Rory had found Dalton in the wooded area by the creek where they’d played as kids

Dalton had been shocked to see her The way he’d cringed against the rock, he’d expected to feel her wrath too

In that moment, the June day beca from the river She could smell the dank, half-decayed leaves on the sun-warh the treetops

She re on Dalton McKay’s face

He’d looked at her and sighed "I’h I’ll point out I couldyour location to the rest of Addie’s relatives who haven’t taken a shot at you"

"Wouldn’t beI am and let them kick the crap outta me"

Rory sat next to him on the rock and tilted her face toward the cloudless, vibrant blue sky

Neither said anything for a while

Dalton spoke first "How’d you find ured since no one could find you it orth checking here"

His gaze turned suspicious "Has my family been lookin’ for me?"

"Yes" Rory’s eyes took in every bruise, scrape and bump on his face "I assume everyone you’ve run across has been hard on you"