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Sam frowned "Bet I was a sorry disappointment"

"No more than I was to you"

His face sobered "Actually, you weren’t that uessed she should consider that a compliment "You, either"

"I avoid relationships," Sa personal"

That was reassuring

Then he was quick to add, "Decent women unnerveher

He looked slightly eht, did it?"

"What kind of woed "I don’t know," he said, as if no one had ever asked hiuess"

That was the tavern Nichole had mentioned For sure it didn’t sound like the naht? Women who play pool and drink beer The kind who don’t ain"

"Ones on’t charge you a dollar when you do," she said, struggling to hold back a srinned "Yup"

"What about Nichole? Isn’t she decent?"

"Nichole," he repeated slowly, as if he hadn’t considered how he felt about her before Beth had asked

"Does she go with Rocco to The Dog House?"

"She used to before Mattheas born"

"Play pool?"

"Taught her myself," he boasted

"Drink beer?"

"She prefers wine, but when she’s with Rocco she has beer It isn’t her favorite, though"

"I’lad you reat and Rocco is crazy about her Before Nichole, all he thought about ork and being a good dad for Kaylene The responsibility weighed on hied I hardly know hier She turned his world upside down"

"Did you like the changes?" she asked

A frown briefly appeared "At first I thought she was playing him A classy woman like that with a tow truck driver It didn’t add up I warned him once and he nearly snappedto do with her ex-husband, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen Rocco ht have said I told you so if I hadn’t been afraid he’d rip off hts "I didn’this head

"I’ood people"

Beth suspected Saood person, too Unfortunately, it was unlikely she’d have the chance to find that out for herself

Chapter 6

Sam

Sam had a busy day Monday But then every day was busy at the car dealership As head of the service department, Sam took his responsibilities seriously The owner once said that Sam was the best mechanic he’d ever known

Sam had been with the GMC dealership for ten years anda yacht anytime soon, but then he was more interested in cars than he was in boats At last count he owned three vehicles, a truck and two classic cars that he tinkered with: a 1967 Dodge R/T and a 1965 Chevy Impala In addition, he did plenty of work on the side He understood engines far better than he ever did women Friends came to hiet back into running shape with the right parts Even as a kid he liked nothing better than to disasseether

He finished up with his last car, handed the keys off to the owner, and closed down his station for the night