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"You needed to avoid being hauled in for questioning by the cops," Cooper finishes for him

"That, too Look, so I slept with ’eer Really I feel sick--and not just because of all the Indian food we’d eaten in the car on the way over, either

No, this isn’t just indigestion It’s disgust

"Don’t act like it’s no big deal, Chris," I say "Your sleeping with those girls, then not calling the the who your father is Because it is a big deal Or it was, to them You used theot…well, performance inadequacies"

"What?" Chris looks shocked "I do not!"

"Of course you do," I say, knowing I sound like Sarah, and not caring "Why else were you looking for girls who don’t have any sexual experience--until Hope here--so they don’t have anything to measure your performance by?"

Chris looks as stunned as if I’d hit him

And maybe, in a way, I have

Cooper tugs on et our roles here confused I’ently on the back--the way I pat Indy when I want him to calm down--Cooper says to a red-faced Chris, "Listen, nobody’s accusing you ofanybody What ant to know about is your relationship with Rachel Walcott"

"Why?" Chris is over being scared, and back to being surly My remark about performance inadequacies has upset him Undoubtedly because it’s true

Chris strides past Cooper, heading for the pool "What about it?"

"Was there one?" Cooper wants to know

"A relationship?" Dropping the towel, Chris cli into the pool, hardly h the water He swi on, then surfaces, seeht," he says "I’ll tell you everything I know"

27

She told me

She thinks you’re fine

She told et you so to say

’Cause you’re

My kind of guy