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"Hello," she said tentatively She’d gotten several solicitation calls lately and ary of getting roaned inwardly He was one of her least favorite people and he epito she disliked about thecame easy for him He’d never had to work to prove hiot a flat tire and he’d thrown a fit, kicking his BMW as if to punish the car for inconveniencing him Oould have ether"

"I’ivable, not that it would do any good Kier was far too accusto his oay

"Your mother asked me to check up on you"

No doubt she had

"You know she won’t let ht" Six ive her these six months They’d already broken their word To be fair, she had been in a bad car accident, but still … Was six months so much to ask? Naturally, her reeuarantee Ellie Prudho Beth’s life s be knohen it came to Sam He wasn’t the man for Beth He wasn’t suitable Lo The list of subtle and not-so-subtle complaints mounted with every conversation, which was one reason Beth’s calls home were infrequent at best

"Let reat place don Not that it can coo has to offer, but it will do in a pinch"

It wouldn’t do any good to argue His coant jerk he was "When?" she asked, accepting defeat

"Seeing that you’re busy all weekend"--he knew she was lying and his tone said as et it over with "Okay I’ll change e to squeeze ested "Give ued "My mother raised me better than that I’ll pick you up at your apartot it," he said, cutting her off

Of course he did Her ht, then," she said, unable to hide the defeat in her voice "See you at six"

"We have a lot to catch up on," Kier said, which was another way of telling her it was going to be a long night

Closing her eyes, Beth leaned against the side of her car, dreading this dinner She had tentative plans with Sa on, but she didn’t knohat Telling hi out with another man wouldn’t sit ith hih before she reached for her phone again

Saht away "Hey, babe"

"Hey," she returned "I’ht"

"Oh?" Sam didn’t bother to hide his surprise "What’s up?"

She could tell by the tiht "A friend is visiting froret she felt about not spending her evening with hiested "Nichole and Rocco invited us to Rock and Bowl Several of Rocco’s crew are going to be there, and I was thinking we could--"

"That won’t work" She would love to see what herwith the crew froh to make Beth smile Her mother would probably have a coronary

"You didn’t let me finish," Sam said

"I know I’m sorry My friend has already made other plans, but I’dmoment "Have fun We’ll connect … whenever"