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Fuck that She’d get through this, like she got through everything else Cru up the card, she stuffed it back in her purse She stretched her neck, kneading the sore et a bottle of water

As she opened it and took a sip, she heard another voice in her head This one was a dark baritone, and he’d only been trying to help her "I’ I’ll always love you You know that, but I can’t keep following you around"

Her hand twitched now, spilling water into the sink

Her eyes caught sight of her bare finger and she held still She couldn’t look away That man, that voice--he hadn’t asked for what she did to hilanced at the clock Mae would probably still be awake

A drive to Mae’s Grill would help clear the night, she headed out, but cohway, she let the car sit and idle a second Just over the ditch, running alongside the highas the town’s livelihood

Falls River

It encoh the next two and into Canada Most of the workers who settled in Craigstoorked at the dam, not far north It kept their toith food and fuel And life Many nights she ree, not three e where everyone, every teen and every adult, had jumped off naked, dressed, or in swim trunks Everyone did it It was the favored pastime of the summer If you couldn’t find anyone in town, and it was over 100 percent humidity, just check Tenderfoot Rush They were always there The place was built on memories--from everyone And so many decided to make the trek to Mae’s Grill, just threetrips started at Tenderfoot Rush and pulled out at Mae’s Grill

There were still a few cars in the parking lot when she got there, and she heard yelling froet the hell out of here before I do soret You hear ht Can’t drive You made sure of that when you took et annihilated and think I’ll let you drive out of here, just inviting a lawsuit against my bar--you’re a fool You drink, that , but you’re still not et out of here!"

"But, Mae" He was slumped on his stool at the bar when Dani went inside "I don’t have anyone to call"

Mae slapped a towel on the counter "Don’t make me call that future nephew-in-law of ot no place to sleep, Mae" He whined again, settling his forehead on the counter again He snorted "Yeah, you call your nephew He’sthe side of family that don’t want you around"

Barney had a death wish

A second later his words penetrated his skull His head jerked back up ide eyes, and his cheeks lost color "Oh, gosh--I didn’t ht I’m sorry--"