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Vale chuckles without turning around to look at ht back"

She turns and heads through the door to the treatracefulness It’s so she always had… all of her motions to seem effortless I remeirls were dancing on the tops of the tables Of course, Vale had to do the sa entranced with the way her body undulated as I stared up at her All the other girls looked aard and forced, but Vale was fluid and so da after her

Back then, it irl, but if she did so like that today, it would drive uess when you grow up and o," she says as she co out Keep this on for twenty o"

She places a towel overof ice on top

"Thanks," I say quietly

"It’s my job," she quips, and then walks back over to the box of supplies she had been unloading

"Well, you’re very good at it," I say quietly I watch as her head drops a little, but she remains quiet

"Vale?" I murmur

Her neck twists so she can look athard at the sh this shit And you too…I’ht there, in her eyes, the tension just drains, and for the first time since we’ve reconnected, she looks at ratitude clear as day

"Thank you," she says with a s I can do, for either of you, I hope you’ll askit, and fuck, I’m not sure why I offered, but it’s out there now I expect she oes a little wider

"I appreciate the offer, Hawke I think we’re okay, but I don’t know…maybe visit Dad every once in a while He doesn’t know anyone here and I’ that," I assure her "I’ overdue"

"Yeah, it was," she affir withthe boxes, and because I don’t want to push her any further, I watch the clock on the wall tick down the minutes until I can take the ice pack off

I accomplished what I intended to do here--let Vale Campbell know that I won’t be a stress upon her at this ti relationship like adults