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Which, as Hud knew as head of ski patrol, made perfect conditions to practice in They had to be prepared for anything, always The winds kicked up even ht in their faces Hud had the entire rescue teaot a call from his ht her how to use that app, but at least she’d figured out how to look into the caht, cheery face filled his phone screen She lifted a Star Wars lunch box "Honey, you forgot your lunch"

He ht his tea him to ask if he’d cleaned his roos were blessedly quiet for a few days and on Friday, his first night off, he brought hishi around him for soain That kid is going to be the death of me Maybe I should call the principal and tell hiain, so I’ll put hiy"

Guess it’d been a bad week for both of theht with two cupcakes--one with a candle--and hoped that would do

As for Jacob, he’d heard zip Nada Nothing And although he should be used to this by now, he wasn’t Through Max, he’d been following Jacob’s unit the best he could, which wasn’t all that well

There’d been no word Even worse, all his attenored

Which wasn’t the only thing on his mind Bailey He had Bailey on hisAnd seeing as she’d been pretty clear about it also being their only night, it was alsotiet over it

"Hud?" hisDon’t worry about Jacob, Mom I’ll take care of hiood boy You take so much on your shoulders I know it’s not fair how much I’ve leaned on you How much we all have"

He lifted his head and met her eyes Clear He stilled "Mom?" he asked quietly Is that you in there?

Her eyes shined brilliantly, with so much sadness "It’s not your fault, honey"

"What’s not?"

"That he left"

He tried to s the sudden lump in his throat but couldn’t She was lucid Really lucid

"You’re both so stubborn," she said "But soo of the past, to wipe the slate clean and start over" She gave a s is so outdated now, isn’t it? No one uses a slate chalkboard anymore I bet kids these days don’t even knohat chalk is They just…" Shea touch pad "Goodness, how different our lives are today than they used to be"

Hud slowly set down his sandwich and even ht scare her brain into retreating again "Mo thing," she said "Do you realize that we have now raised an entire generation of people who don’t kno to talk to each other face-to-face? Even you have never known the terror of calling a girl you like and having to ask her dad if she can coirls you like You probably just text or Snapchat" She narrowed her eyes "You do go to their door to pick theht? You don’t just honk for them? And tell me you open their doors and buy dinner when you take the you, romance is dead, but that’s no excuse for bad manners--"

"Mom"

She smiled "What, baby?"

He didn’t take his eyes off of her "Stay Stay right here, right now, okay? Stay with oing to eat your pickle?"

Stunned, speechless, throat burning, Hud handed over his pickle

Carrie munched on it, and then they ate their birthday cupcakes She shten and a load coht," he said "Do you want to take a walk outside?"

She eyed the clock "Nice try but it’s past your curfew Off to bed with you Go on now"

Hud let out a long, slow breath and nodded, the pain back in his chest He got up and leaned over her to kiss her on the cheek "Sweet dreaht back atcha, baby"