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I’ll Be the Man You Raised Me to Be

CHAPTER 26

WEST

I had expected Maggie to move her hand away from mine when her family showed up But she hadn’t Not even when her aunt and uncle had both looked directly at our joined hands She had stayed close besideon to me while they’d all talked Coralee had kissed the top of my head and told me she loved me

Boone had nodded and patted my shoulder Then Brady had taken the seat onpeople here was a relief Especially for Moie, that was all I needed, but the Higgenses being here made it easier for Momma

"I’ll be back in a few minutes," Brady said as he stood up and walked down the hallway

"He’s going to tell the other guys They ones you’re close to," Maggie whispered, barelyover by the coffeeat us

"He tell you that?" I asked

"Yes, he told all of us in the car He’s worried about you"

It was tiie, and telling anyone else wasn’t so I can feel it," I said it out loud, needing to hear myself ad, and you’ll h You’ll have hiswhen her aunt turned around I was sure she hadn’t heard Maggie’s quiet whisper

I held on to her words She knehat this felt like She was being honest withetting a lot of that soon