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"Too bad about you and Jess," says Jienuinely sorry "It’s a shas" I try to keep the disappoint We’re so different"

"You’re different, all right" His face crinkles in amusement

"She just see a fa "You know, I made every effort I really did But she never showed any pleasure… or feelings, even She doesn’t see! She doesn’t seem to have any passions!"

Jiot passions," he says "She’s got passions, all right When we get to the house, I’ll show you so"

He picks up the sack of potatoes and we resuet nearer Jess’s house, I start to feel tiny prickles of curiosity Not that she’s anything to do with me anymore, but still

As we reach the door, Ji, selects a Yale key, and unlocks it I walk into the hall and look around But the place doesn’t give much away It’s a bit like Jess herself Two tidy sofas in the sitting room A plain white kitchen A couple of well-tended potted plants

I head upstairs and cautiously push open the door to her bedroom It’s immaculate Plain cotton duvet cover, plain cotton curtains, a couple of boring prints

"Here" Jim is behind me "You want to see Jess’s real passion? Take a look at this"

He heads over to a door set into the wall of the landing, then turns the key and beckonsthe door open "She had this cupboard ned it herself down to the last detail, lights and all Makes an iht, don’t you think…" He trails off in surprise at my face "Becky? Are you OK, love?"

I can’t speak

It’s my shoe cupboard

It’s my shoe cupboard, exactly The sahts Except instead of shoes displayed on the shelves, there are rocks Rows and rows of carefully labeled rocks

And… they’re beautiful Soray, so There are fossils… ahts…

"I had no idea… They’re stunning"

"You’re talking about passion?" Jiht say" He picks up a speckled gray rock and turns it over in his fingers "You kno she got that leg injury of hers? Cla after some blasted rock on a et it, she’d risk her own safety" Jirins at my expression "Then there was the ti soape at him