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"--broke his word Yes, of course that would upset you Would piss ive the boy"

I can’t help ine staying ile"

She keeps speaking as if she hadn’t heard ive him because he didn’t break his word Blaine did"

"What?" I play her words back in my head, but I still don’t understand

"Blaine told Giselle," Evelyn says matter-of-factly "He didn’tabout allery and somehow the conversation turned to the portrait He doesn’t even reets when he starts chattering And the next thing you know, he’d told her He rushed hoht--took all ht then and there, but it o in the reen until he finally got Da"

"When was this?" I ao"

"But--but I asked Damien point-blank if he told Giselle, and he said yes He was lying for Blaine? Why?"

"Aw, honey, it wasn’t Daills about It was you He fucked up, and he hurt you, and he fully intended to come clean He wanted Damien’s advice on how to tell you, and Damien told him not to Dao further, and that if need be, he’d take the blame"

"But why?"

"You already answered that one, Texas," she says gently

For a moment, I don’t understand Then I recallBlaine," I say,our friendship" Suddenly,back tears

"You want me to tell Blaine that you know?"

I shake my head violently "No No I don’t want him to worry that it bothers me or that I’ht now, no"