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"Yes, one and what she’d done when she’d walked out Who she ith But the words stuck in his throat
"So Casper is in a rehab unit?"
Dalton nodded He’d wondered if she’d ask "He can’t speak and refuses to ith the speech therapist Which is why I don’t understand…never mind My opinion won’t matter"
"It doestiot pissed off at me today, like I was some callous--hell, they even called me selfish--asshole for not wantin’ to sit in his roolare at the TV"
"They’re there out of guilt"
"But why? It ain’t like he’s gonna have a change of heart and become a completely different person"
"It’s been known to happen with strokes There’s part of your brothers that have always held hope for reconciliation"
Dalton raised his eyebrows "Meaning that Casper ake up one day and have such reht with his sons?"
She nodded "They’ll never adaze encompassed his face "You don’t have that saet defensive, the way you feel doesn’t make you callous It makes you a realist You’re different froue to ask how different
"I know Casper has given you years of grief about that Calling you…well, I won’t repeat it Takes a stronger man to walk away fro to soaze snapped back to hers
"I’ as I did after you boys were out of the house I shoulda left hihteen and moved out I shoulda left hirieve our son together The only reason I found the guts to do it at all was because of Brandt and Jessie They deserved the happiness and love they found in each other" She looked away "I’ll ad with hie he didn’t want"
They’d never talked about hohen his parents had met "Have you talked to your counselor about how you’re still takin’ the blaly adlad you’ve got your own life now"
"There are times I miss the ranch" She took a sip of water "Did you ?"
"The people more than the place Did I miss the work? No Not because I’ia becarief for it Probably alill"
"So how long will you be in Sundance?"
"No set tis ca forward to spending the entire winter in Montana I hate the feeling of bein’ stuck When it snoo feet at a time in the mountains, it’s unavoidable"
"Would Rory Wetzler bein’ back in the area have anything to do with that decision?"
Dalton pushed his plate away "Yep"
She laughed "That’s all I’rinned "Yet"
"I see you haven’t lost the McKay charrin vanished But hisup plates
"So ould you like to do tonight?" she asked
He shrugged "I’ out? To a honky-tonk just up the road Do a little dancin’ There’s a great band playing this week You up for that?"
Dalton kept his shock in check HisThen again, she had a different life now and this was his chance to see her in action Since he intended on taking Rory dancing soon, it’d do hiood to brush up on his two-step skills "I could be Is your boyfriend gonna be there? ’Cause I don’t want you to ditch e bar so you two can suck face in the corner"
"Dalton Patrick McKay! I would never do such a thing!"
He laughed "Kiddin’, Ma But I will need your help with so"
Chapter Seven
Two knocks sounded on Rory’s office door
She highlighted the section of proposed state regulations--easy to get lost in repetitive government double-speak--and said, "Come in"
Glennis, the receptionist, poked her head in "Rory? There’s a man out front who’d like to speak with you"
She frowned "Why didn’t you just send hirew flushed
Why was the receptionist blushing? Then Rory knew
Dalton
"The man in question looks like Charles Manson? Don’t let the crazy beard fool you He’s haruy doesn’t have a beard And he insisted you come out to the reception area"
Not Dalton after all Not an unusual request, either Some rams would be less official if they weren’t asked in her office Made no sense, but mindsets around here were off center anyway
Rory pushed back from her desk "Thanks, Glennis I’ll handle hi him," Glennis muttered