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"I’ll text you all the info to access my email accounts on Monday We’ll start there for now We don’t need to see each other, just texts and phone calls Got it?"

She’s silent for ale ht Oh, and Ronnie?"

"Yeah?" she comes back with some hope in her voice

"I think you should date that banker If he’s still interested, that is Because I had Ford check hiuy I’d like for you to find yourself a good guy, Ronnie So if I’ve screwed anything up, I’m sorry Maybe try and explain I’m just a dick and you’re done withShe es an, "OK," and then the phone beeps three times and the call is over

"Shit, Shrike," Carson says from his perch on et over it, Reed Just do your part and I’ll do ot an idea what you want? Because I really do have to meet Carla soon"

Carson shakes his head at irls if you love the Bo on Thursday nights Ronnie loves to line-dance but I’ve never gone with her because I just can’t afford to be seen with her in public like that But soon, I will be dating her, Carson Soon So I’ ready for that day Carla offered to teach ht we practice at the Sundance Saloon Fridays, I hang out with Renee from the Cat Call I watch the strippers so people think I’m available And Renee is the bartender She flirts with ets crazy They have shit bouncers over there Saturdays I hang out with Kiue down there Ronnie’s brothers have a bowling league up here in FoCo And as soon as life settles down, I’m in I want to insert myself into Ronnie’s life I want to be accepted by her faood way to do that"

Carson laughs a little "So you’re not fking any other girls?"

"Hell the fk no I haven’t had a bit of fking fun since New Year’s when I saw Ronnie last This trial shit, Carson--this trial shit is big fking ti around My friends and I are in deep, man I do not have time to fk, or drink, or worry about shit like that Hell, I barely have time to think about the show"

"You really do love her?" He looks athis opinion of et ht not love me back"

"Well, fk I really had no clue"

"That’s how it has to stay, Reed You got it? No one can know I love her No one Did you see what happened to Rook Corvus last fall?"

Carson nods his head "Yeah, I felt sorry for her"

"Well, my Ronnie will not survive that OK? She won’t I cannot have those filthy reporters following her around like ani to ruin her life and make her freak out for the cameras Rook has no ties to anyone but us She was easy to protect Ronnie has all kinds of faet to her So et even I need to keep her and her entire faet it I’m in"

"In?"

"Yeah, I’m in I’ll keep your secret for you, Shrike I’m in I don’t know the whole story and frankly, I do not care But what you guys did last fall… that was soo to jail So if keeping my eye on Ronnie helps you finish the breath

I aot aith murder

Not because I have a TV show

Not because I caood family or ell-educated, or because I can build bikes or paint naked girls

I’onna need every single one of thely