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Eventually they stopped giving him a hard time The oing strong Tristan didn’t like to think about it or classify what they had Yes, she was young Yes, souments because she was jealous of every other wo a bit too hard despite her guise of not caring

But then hisout there in space with no anchor to Earth, and for the first ti

There’d always been a coldness deep within him, an ability to shut himself off from the world to avoidin that place His mother had always been able to pull him out

So had Sydney

As he stared down into her face, she did the only thing he needed in that moathered hiainst the top of her head, breathing in the scent of orange blossoers stroked the nape of his neck, and she whispered low s of nonsense into his ear

The block of ice trean to fall away

"Why? Why did she betray us all, Syd?"

"I don’t know All I know is she’s been unhappy with your dad for a long ti I know and believe, Tristan, she was co back to you"

"She never said anything to you? Not a word about this guy she was seeing on the side?"

"No, nothing I knew she was going to an art class she loved, but that’s all I didn’t know about the teacher"

"She said nothing to us about thisto lose herself in Paris and forget her sons"

She yanked her head back froaze with a fierceness that took his breath away "She was co back," Sydney repeated "I know Diane, and you were everything to her If you believe only one thing, youtie and resolve that eased sout The words spilled from him in all their raful, naked truth "I’m so lost, Syd I don’t what to do any to believe what I tell you, Tristan She was co back"

Every time she repeated the phrase, he seemed to believe it roan, he dipped his head, desperate to feel alive again