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She had savedpiano and was prepared to leave in the ue Her fao Sunshine was the one who’d invited Beth tofor e for a h school Beth wanted that job in the worst way and was deteret it, to live her own life instead of the one her h with her escape plans, Beth decided to tell her father He was by far the ood decision Even now Beth didn’t knohat he said to herfor her The nextPhillip, her father, told her she had his word that Ellie, her mother, would not visit or interfere in Beth’s life for six months No visits to Portland No tearful phone calls No tossing guilt Any contact would be instigated by Beth herself

She was basically free; well, at least for the next six e her mind, Beth loaded up her car and left that very day Her mother had stood on the lawn and wept as Beth backed into the street and started on her way

When she arrived in Portland, she stayed the first few days with her aunt, scheduled interviews, and was over the h school As soon as she had the job, she found an apartment she could afford and for the first time in her twenty-five years she was on her own

Weeks earlier she’d had no hope, but now, after breaking away, hope had found her When she was settled in her own apartment, Beth called her parents and told them she was set The conversation had been aard, and when her et off the phone Beth knew the tears were about o It hurt her mother that Beth was in the sa Whatever had caused the rift between them was a mystery to Beth She hoped that at some point Sunshine would explain what it was that had put such a heavy strain on their relationship Once in her youth, Beth had asked herthat happened a long tio and wouldn’t explain further

Beth collected her books and purse and was heading down the hallhen she heard her nalish teacher who’d befriended her, called out fro as she turned around, happy to run into her friend It’d been a couple days since they’d last connected Theythe first week of classes and struck up an immediate friendship After the birth of her second son, Nichole had given up her full-ti Nichole was a treat, as she hadn’t been at school all week

"Do you have a minute?" Nichole asked

"Of course"

"I wanted to ask you to dinner to of a surprise She’d been to Nichole’s house once and briefly hter Kaylene was also a senior at the high school Nichole and Beth ate lunch together in the teachers’ lounge when they could, but those times were rare

"I know it’s last-minute I wanted to connect with you earlier but didn’t, and the next thing I kneas Friday I’ve been thinking about this awhile; I hope you can come"

"I don’t have any plans," Beth said, a bit wary of this sudden bout of chattiness fro about what?" Nichole had left that part suspiciously blank

"Ah …"

"Is there so h "Actually, there is Rocco is inviting his best friend, Sam Carney, to dinner I wanted the two of you to meet"

Beth held the textbook closer to her chest So that was it Nichole planned on setting her up with Rocco’s friend Norone out to dinner and a lish teacher He was divorced, lonely, and a little too eager to get involved in a relationship Beth turned hiot the h hesitant, and Beth knew there was more to the story "Tell me a little about Sam"

Nichole slipped her purse strap over her shoulder and clung to it as if she wasn’t sure where to start "He’s a great guy and he isn’t bad looking either"