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Sofia reached across her dash into the glove compartment for some tissue She wiped her face Alex still calm, continued to rub her knee, but she kne quickly his te" She blew her nose "I lanced at his co store"

The hand on her knee stopped, the colower "What did he do?"

"Nothing, Alex" She placed her hand on his "He just wanted to say goodbye" She could al"

Alex’s expression lightened up But very little

"They sold the house, and he’s taking both his parents back to Georgia with hi back"

Alex stared at her "Is that why you’re crying?"

"No!" How could he even think that? "I was already in a downabout his dad just made me feel sad for him, and I haven’t talked to Eric for weeks I don’t think he’s ever going to forgive me It all just piled up on me"

Alex stood up and held out his hand "C’ging her tight "You’re too damn sweet is what it is" She felt tiny in his aret over it Trustanywhere"

If only that were true She took a deep breath, wishing things were like when she was a little girl and her brothers could protect her fro if she asked hio away

Eric lay there in his bed staring at the ceiling like he’d been doing so often in the past few days This was exactly what his dad hadn’t wanted him to do With the routine he’d kept, he may as well have been a robot--school, his internshihis intep and back to his dor B’s in most of his classes when he washi around and saw it on the nightstand Reaching over, but still on the bed, he grabbed it and lay back down He kneho it ithout even looking The only person who had called instead of texting the entire time he’d been in Spain

"Hey, Dad"

"Eric, you busy?"

"Nope" He only had a few very important papers that were due that week, but he wouldn’t tell his dad that "What’s up?"

"I ran into Sofia today"

Eric froze, but didn’t say anything Just hearing her nah to make him wince He missed her so much