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"She could help you with the rips Maybe it would confuse them, like it did in the park Maybe it would slow them down" I pushed up off the couch "You can’t expect me to choose between her comfort and yours There’s no universe where this even comes close to a contest"

"It’s not just about her comfort, or the rips If she’s activated, she could heal the continuuo in and not come out"

"We don’t know if that’s even a valid answer to the probleht the rips by yourself when you could have help?"

"Help froe now" Tears formed in her eyes

When I reached out for her, she pulled away "Hallie, think about this logically, please"

"I can’t … I just … I have to think" Hallie turned away from me and picked up her phone "I have to one

Chapter 22

Hallie

The sliding glass door opened as soon as I hung up

"Can I join you?" It was Kaleb

"Sure" I put down ured the first place people would look was my studio, so I’d escaped to the pool

"I wanted to talk to you about a couple of things," he said

"That’s worrisome Have a seat"

He sat down beside me on the concrete as I sized him up The dimples, the baby blues, the body If I’d seen hio, I’d have had hiainst the back corner of a bar in fifteen rin, but couldn’t plant "I forgot you could read minds"

"Not minds Emotions" He reached out to swirl his hands in the water "Water is actually one of the ways I tune theo ahead and dive in, because I don’t want to knohat you just got froet froether at some point and tied it as a fact and moved on, with no hint of flirtation or inappropriateness, passing the douche test with flying colors "You’re in love with Dune, or close at least Have the two of you talked about it?"

There it was again, welling up like a spring The fear of losing him I shook my head

"Don’t let this overwhel has happened We can still beat it"

I stared down at ht pink toenails in the water "I bet you’re a pain in the ass to be friends with"

"One of the best things about my ability is rinned "Probably not as good as yours"

"There are people behind you who have your back"

"That’s kind of new for me My dad is overprotective, and ether"

"We can’t be responsible for the family life doles out to us Jack Landers is my uncle"

"Damn"

"I heard you on the phone with your dad Well"--he held up one finger--"that’s not true I felt you on the phone with your dad That’s why I came down"