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"Sleep with strangers?"

"Like paint a er comes into my life, I can stop to smell the roses So to speak"

Her mother blinked "Does he have a name?"

"He tried to introduce himself to you Hudson Kincaid"

Her mom covered her cheeks with her hands "I was rude to him"

"Yes, very You cannice," Bailey said

"There’s going to be a next tihed

"Right Minding my own business" She nodded and then shook her head "I don’t think I will be very good at that, Bailey"

"Forto try"

Her ain

"Mom," Bailey said, pained

"Did you hear back from the doctor?" her mom asked "Is that what this is all about?"

"No," Bailey said "You know I’d have told you i Results won’t be in until Monday or Tuesday, but I’m still clear I know it"

Herbeat "You’re sure?"

"Yes," Bailey said with a sood, remember? She even threw out the R word" Reer, er, but Bailey kneould come "These are just tests that I do every three months to make sure," she said "You know all this"

"Yes, I just like to hear it"

A few flakes began to drift down, re in and they were on borrowed time "I’ll follow you down the mountain, okay? We need to stay ahead of the storuilt flashed across her mom’s face "But it means you have to leave a day early"

Bailey nodded "I know It’s okay"

"The mural is beautiful" Her mom reached for her hand "So beautiful it stopped me in my tracks I’m so proud of you, Bailey I hope you know that And how very ht and she squeezed her ave a little smile "Once we’re out of the storm’s reach, let’s stop and have breakfast for dinner at IHOP, like the old days"

The old days When Bailey had been dying They’d go and have her treatments and then stop at IHOP on the way ho every time Strawberry pancakes

She didn’t ever want to see another strawberry pancake again But she sot two consecutive calls, both involving injuries that required his iiven it

But in between, whenever he had even two seconds to breathe, his mind replayed Bailey on her knees in his office, herexercise in the dark, stor lifts--never easy in the best of conditions, which these weren’t

"What are you set your attention"

Hud gestured for Mitch to take over the training exercise andup here?"

"Needed to have awith you," Gray said

"About?"

"About that s as it’s been awhile since anyone saw that look on your face"