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Rose shrugged "She sounded pretty serious about this one Just the fact that she wanted to make the journey with him out here to "

"The only reason she wants to bring him out here is because she probably wants to break up with hih to send hi It’s worked before Makes it easier on her if they just run away screa" I leaned into the counter and looked out theI didn’t want Mos wasshells around her A place where souy" didn’t take automatic priority over her flesh and blood I didn’t want to taint what small sliver of peace I’d found with the wars and battles that would surely co yourself that, Rowen," Rose said in as firm a voice as I’d ever heard her use "You’re no more a freak than I anorant name you’ve heard directed your way define you You define you" She pressed her finger intothe victim and live your life"

I think if she’d just slapped me across the face, I wouldn’t have been as shocked Rose was such a cal

"Those are some powerful words," I said slowly

"That’s because they’re true" Rose looked at me and waited She wouldn’t let me out of the kitchen until she’d pounded it into me

"I’ll think them over" I reached for the handle of the cooler Unco I tried to avoid at all costs

"Proue would have been pointless Rose hty "I promise"

"Good," she said, and her whole body relaxed "Now,"--she grabbed the other handle--"let’s get this thing loaded up before those boys keel over from starvation"

"Yeah, ouldn’t want the it over a fire"

"No, ouldn’t," Rose said around a chuckle

Rose and I le that cooler out of the kitchen, out the back door, and down the stairs before we had to set it down and take a break Last week, I couldn’t have helped carry that thing five feet Just went to sho strong one got working around a ranch I also knew er

Everything about er

"What car do you want to take?" Rose asked Her breathing wasn’t even labored like mine "The Suburban or Neil’s truck?"

I studied the as a school bus, and Neil’s truck was an extended cab ht my attention

"Why don’t I take Old Bessie?" I said "It’s the only one I think I have a decent shot of seeing over the steering wheel without having to prop a phone book under ood laugh "Old Bessie it is then Jesse would be happy to know someone on this ranch other than him isn’t too eain and headed for Old Bessie "I didn’t say I wasn’t e the lesser of two e the cooler up into the bed I grunted like it weighed a ton Rose sht as a feather "Drive Old Bessie or sit propped up on a phone book" I lifted both hands and weighed the options "Kind of a tough call"

"Well, enjoy the ride andthat thing Lord only knohat could be growing in it" Rose lifted the tailgate and wiped her hands off on her pants "You got your phone in case you get turned around?"

I patted my jeans’ pocket

"You shouldn’t have a problem Just follow that windy dirt road until you see a bunch of cattle and guys on horseback"

"I think I can handle that" I came around the truck and opened the car door Itsound I leapt up into the driver’s seat and found I could see over the steering wheel Barely, but I could "Oops I need keys"

"They’re in the ignition," Rose said

Yep Sure enough I guess no one would want to steal Old Bessie anyways Turning theine fired to life When I say fired, Ifire to erupt from the hood

"See you later If I’m not back in a few hours, send the search party" I waved at Rose before closing the door and heading out of the driveway

Surprisingly, Old Bessie drove fairly smoothly for a truck in its condition And that truck had so the cab

I was about a couple miles down the bumpy dirt road when I reached for the CD player I hit play without thinking, and that Johnny Cash character Jesse was such a fan of started singing in that deep, dark voice of his about rings and fires

Actually, it was pretty good It could have been badass good if the country twang about it could be removed The lyrics were like poetry, and Johnny Cash’s voice was like nothing I’d heard before When the CD , I realized that, in a little over a week, I’d gone fro, andit