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"You sure? I think your parents ht here"

"I’ on in the kitchen earlier I have to get out of here"

"Fair enough Let’s go"

Three hours later we’re at my house with Trent sacked out on the couch and Caleb and et out of here," he says

"Nah I don’t feel like it"

"Well, I do I haven’t gotten laid inexhausted

"Hey, what’s going on with you? I noticed when I was ho and that today water bottles replaced beer bottles What have II neglected to tell him whenever we talked on the phone The picture of a playboy fantasy life I had painted was far fro, I just didn’t tell him how it happened--that she had to bail me out of jail While I was at it I went ahead and told him about Bell, the baby, and hoalked out on her--twice The second ti her boss when she wasn’t fking h his hair "I’ to do?"

"Nothing Move on What else can I do?"

"Seeh o after her, you know?"

"Sloppy seconds aren’t my style"

"What are you, Danny Zukko?"

I raise an eyebrow "You think I’ to do about it?"

I lunge at hie the clear winner I head to bed as he makes his way to the door and I call out, "I don’t need to learn your fancy martial arts moves to whip your ass"

"I let you win," he says under his breath

"Fuck you," I call

He turns and grins "Love you too, brother"

I leave Trent where he is and take the steps two at a ti about what Caleb said about S’belle I fall asleep with her on ht since I saw her across the ballroos before I’ood," I ansithout even looking at who it is

"Ben!"

I sit up "Beck?"

"Sorry to wake you, man, but we have a problem"

"What is it?" I flop back onthe time--nine forty-five alitch in sending January’s issue of Surfer’s End to publication"

Cradling the phone to my ear, I scrub my face "Did you call the syste on?"

"It has to be the new encryption program Australia sent us ent live last ht in"

I hop out of bed and take a quick shower When I head downstairs it’s quiet There’s a note fro he went to have lunch with Dahlia, and it looks as though Caleb never ca for my keys and accidentally knock Caleb’s backpack off the coffee table The contents spill and I spot it io The sa cartel trial that the detectives said had a phone-book directory on it I pick it up along with everything else but shove the drive in ht and I make it to the office in record ti at the desk with Beck hovering over him

"Well?" I ask

They both turn their attention to aze and pounds the keyboard ferociously

"I see that And?"

"I’ll have the syntax corrected as soon as I can concentrate," Ericany view of his face

"So, is it going or what?"

"Should be sent within the hour Minor delay Sorry I called you in," Beck answers

"I’rab a coffee I’ll be back in a few" Neither one of theesat the table reading on her iPad

"Anything good?" I ask her

She looks up "Just the latest on government health care and fiscal crisis"

"So early in the rab the pot and tip it toward her "Want a cup?"

"No, I’ve had a few"

"What hour did Beck drag you in?"

"It was supposed to be a two-o"

"Well, I think it’s under control now, so hopefully not hs "I wish Actually we’re going to visitto call you," she says "I went to the address I had for my birth ed ot there I decided I aavejust seeain Not sure of what to say

"I love ures in est time and it suddenly hits me--I have to believe that my child, S’belle’s and my child, is just as happy with his or her life as Ruby is with hers I have to let that go