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"Sohters are very different," Susan replied wryly "My own parents insist that I’e, but they would never think of de that fro, which felt ly silly at first, but as she pretended by turns to be Nick, oneup forwork

"No is a vitaured if I told it to e handled as s as I would allow And, possibly because of Liberty’s softening influence, he changed his approach toto be, he patiently laid out choices and explained theue with my decisions When Nick had dared to call the condo and dee had forced himself to hand the phone to me

It had been quite a conversation,My husband poured it on, progressing fro ive up on a h spot, he said

It was h spot, I said

People who loved each other found a way to work things out, he said

You don’t love me, I said

He said he did Maybe he hadn’t been the best husband, but I damn sure hadn’t been the best wife

I’ht, I told hi a cracked rib

He said there was no way he’d cracked my rib, that must have happened accidentally when I fell

I said he’d pushed me, hit me

And I was astonished when Nick said he didn’t re me Maybe one of his hands had slipped

I wondered if he really didn’t remember, if he could actually rewrite reality for hi And then I realized it didn’tback, I said And every co back I’e, who had been sitting in the living area His hands had clenched so hard in the arouges in the sht e, but never so rounds of insupportability, e had become insupportable because of personality conflicts that had destroyed "the legitie relationship" That was the quickest way to end it, the lawyer said If Nick didn’t contest it Otherwise there would be a trial, and all kinds of nastiness and hue said to ris your waybut I have to ask you for so now"

"What is it?"

"You and I both know there’s no way Nick’s going to let the divorce go uncontested unless we make it worth his while"

"You ht of Nick getting a financial reward after the way he’d treated me "Well, remind Nick that I’ve been disinherited I’m -- "

"You’re still a Travis And Nick will play his part to the hilta poor hardworking guy whotossed aside like a bartender’s rag If he wants, Haven, he canand difficult and public as possible"

"Give him my share of the condo, then That’s all the coot"

"Nick antup to He wanted to pay Nick off, to keep hih Nick was about to get a big fat reward, after all he’d done to"I swear," I said with blistering sincerity, "if I ain"

"No, don’t say that" Gage reached for , and I shrank back I still didn’t like to be touched, especially by men, which Susan had said was a protective e utter a quiet curse, and he dropped his arh "You know, putting a bullet in his head would be a lot cheaper and quicker than a divorce"

I glanced at hiht" He made his expression bland, but I didn’t like the look in his eyes

"Let’s stick with the divorce option," I said "I’d prefer Matthew and Carrington not to have to visit you in prison What kind of ter to Dad for ive to Nick?Because I sure don’t have any"

"You let me worry about the terto assuave hie -- "

"It’s okay," he said quietly "You’d do it forhardship for anyone, sweetheart"

"It’s not right for you to pay forable to ade alone, you suffered through it alone, you daet out of it alone Let round beneath ht actually be okay

"I’uess the only tirateful," I told hiustrum bush"

I sed my pride and called Dad the day after my divorce was final in February To my profound relief, Nick hadn’t appeared at court when the judge signed the decree Two people had to show up to get e had assured me that Nick would stay far away from court that day "What’d you do, threaten to break his legs?" I asked

"I told hi on the courthouse gate within five e hadn’t been joking

Gage and Liberty had let my family know that I was back in Houston, but that I wouldn’t be ready to see anyone or do any telephone-talking for a while Naturally Dad, anted to be in the center of whatever was going on, took offense at e to tell h horse, he would like fora divorce?" I asked Gage

"Yes I can’t say he was surprised"

"But did you tell him why?" I didn’t want anyone to know about what had occurred between Nick and me Maybe in time I would tell Jack or Joe, but for now I needed it to be kept private I didn’t want to be seen as weak or helpless, a victiain Most of all I didn’t want to be pitied

"No," Gage said, his tone reassuring "I just told Dad it didn’t work out -- and if he wanted any kind of relationship with you at all, to keep his mouth shut about it"

So I finally called Dad,the phone "Hey Dad" I tried to sound casual "Been a while since I talked to you Just thought I’d check in"

"Haven" The sound of his gravelly voice was fa "You took your sweet ti a divorce"