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The house was silent, which er sisters were still asleep in their roootten up early and gone out, probably to the store It was quiet and peaceful, and there was no sound but birds chirping in the trees, the rustle of leaves, and Bubba’s snorting whuffs in the bushes as he looked for just the right spot tolike New York City

And it troubled Maylee that she even thought about that Ashorandparents nearby, it wasn’t quite the sa close at hand, but she was noticing things she’d never paid attention to before The rust on the skirt of the trailer, the creaky, weathered wood of the porch, the muddy, unpaved road that led to their hoh Griffin’s eyes and was asha like this? And she hated that the thought even crossed her mind Just because Griffin was a snob didn’t mean she had to be ashamed of her family She wasn’t She justcouldn’t help but see sos he’d turned his nose up at in the past This hy he kept her a secret--she wasn’t good enough for hine Verdi of Bellissiled her bare toes and looked down at her pajaht she was dirt So as it she couldn’t stop thinking about Griffin? Why was she so completely and totally hurt that he was ashaht he’d finally come to see her for who she was, and appreciated her help and her co her up to pork in private while ro a princess in public

That was the part that hurt the worst That she’d been falling for hi sure no one saw him with her in public She had such a stupid, soft heart Maylee brushed tears out of her eyes and watched Bubba circle a nearby tree She was gullible and du relieved himself, her mother’s truck pulled up in the driveway, and she winced at the clanking sounds the enginejob in the city and now her mama wouldn’t have the extra income that Maylee sent home every month Her mama had said it was fine, but it was oing to go to college in a few years With Maylee’s retreat, that was out of reach for now--and possibly forever She felt asha ol’ blubbering hed and surreptitiously swiped at her watering eyes again, then waved at her ot out of her truck "Hi, Mama"

Maylee’s h hers were more silver now, and her tan was deeper She wore an old T-shirt and an equally old pair of jeans, and Maylee felt a twinge of unhappiness Her family could use the money from her job so badly Why had she let Griffin drive her out of NYC? It had been so selfish of her to move back home

It was just thatshe’d felt so alone and unwanted in her small, dirty apart--and hating--Griffin, thenIt had seemed natural to coh, she was lad you’re up, Maylee-darlin’," Maot the sausage at the store Can you put on some jeans and run back out there forover"

"I will, Maers to call Bubba over The dog trotted back to her, and the tomen went inside the se, and when she got out, she grabbed the keys to the truck and headed out for the store

Twenty-five minutes later, she pulled back into the driveway of her home to a shiny black sedan with tinted s in the driveway

Her heart began to drum a frantic beat and she wasn’t sure if it was terror or excitement

It wasn’t hiainst the side of the sedan, sarette It wasn’t Griffinnot that she wanted to see hi, unlike her lean, scholarly, and snobby viscount The stranger cast her a bored look as she pulled up next to hiave the man a friendly sarette and gave her a dis on someone"

She frowned, confused "Are you lost? This is a private drive"

He snorted and shook his head "Wish to God ere"

That funny feeling began to bubble in her stonored it and offered her hand "I’m Maylee"

"Kip," he said

Maylee’s eyes widened Oh, no No, no, no "What are you doing here?"

"What do you think I’ here?" There was a wealth of derisiveness in his tone

"Oh, no," Maylee breathed, and rushed up the steps of the single wide

When she got into the house, she tore through the s next to her two pajama-clad sisters, was Griffin His hair wasn’t its normal slicked down look but a alia and one hand rapped in a fluffy white towel And he peered through his glasses at what looked to be a bowl of grits set in front of hi here?" Maylee exclaiuest"

"I don’t have to be nice to hiot to his feet and stood despite the cra his towel-covered hand close to his chest The sight of that made her heart flip-flop painfully Had he somehow injured himself? Why did she care, dalasses with his free hand and then gave her a sharp nod "Miss Meriweather"

Her sisters looked over at her ide, unblinking eyes

Maylee handed the bag of sausage to her mother and refused to look Griffin in the face "You need to leave, Mr Verdi I’entleman needs a burn talked, Maylee," her ue-with-lanced at his hand, still swathed in the towel She couldn’t tell anything fronore a man in need, even if he was the one who broke her heart and ht Coan, but she shot hi"