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"Jealous?" He laughed as though that was ridiculous Pride de his best to downplay his feelings He’d never dreauy chose thatthe doorbell Sam had never been happier to have an excuse to end a conversation He would have gladly paid double for their pizza He gave the delivery boy a healthy tip

Beth cleared off the table and they sat doith the open box supported by the back of the sewingfor a second when her phone rang She had it on the table and glanced over and read the caller ID Her eyes greide and she sed hard

"Who is it?" Sarab back the words If it was another guy wanting to take her out, then he was leaving No as he sitting here and listening to that

"I don’t believe this," Beth cried

"So you?" Sam would answer and deal with it, if that was the case

"Unbelievable," sheme It’s my mother"

Chapter 26

Beth

"Beth," Saht you and your ht we did" She wasn’t happy to see her mother’s name turn up on caller ID

"You said your piece You’re an adult You have your own life now and the only way she can take that away fro the phone, and if she does decide the only way to talk to ation to see her" What perturbed her was the fact that Beth had made herself clear She wouldn’t put up with any further interference in her life

"Babe, are you afraid of her?"

He called her babe, and while her heart reacted instantly, she didn’t want to show it "Mo personality; I’ Tellback into the chair, comfortable nohen he hadn’t been earlier

Beth s about her father, whos he would have her play for him when he returned from work He sat in his favorite chair and listened to her while he read the evening newspaper Her ed her talent and her love of eophysicist"

Saeophysicist do?"

She could re him that herself at one point in her youth and was disappointed when she learned he wasn’t a fireman "He’s mostly involved in research He studies the structure and dynamics of the earth and the solar systeenius I never understood how ether They have opposite personalities Dad is a loner and Mom needs to be around people, especially those she wants to impress"

Beth appeared to be a nice blend of both personalities

"If it wasn’t for ht never have been able to break away froo"

"How’s that?"

Beth’s heart warmed as she remembered the way her father had stepped forward to help her Phillip Prudhomme was deeply involved in his work and had been eave his wife free rein when it ca their only child She suspected he had no clue what kind of control his wife had over Beth

"I an, "because heaven forbid that I should actually have a real job I played the organ for the church and was given a s with Christ to run away?"

"Ridiculous when you think about it, isn’t it? I’m twenty-five, Sam, twenty-five, and had yet to have a life, a real life where I stand on my own, support myself, or have a chance to share my passion for music with others"

He reached for her hand and held it in his own The warmth she felt from his touch raced up her arm She’d missed him dreadfully this past week but was afraid to mention how empty her days had felt without hientle "And look how far you’ve come in just a few months"

"Thanks to my aunt I contacted her and asked if I could coreed?"