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"I see you’ve noticed Sunshine’s painting," Peter Hamlin said "It’s one of her earlier pieces"

"You’ve had it a long tih he see?" he asked

"If you mean health-wise, she’s well"

"And otherwise?"

Beth sat back down and stared at her hands "I … a friend toldto do InI assumed, I’d hoped, for so much ood" But it wasn’t all bad news "On a positive note," she rushed to explain, " we had at the restaurant?"

Beth shook her head "No That happened over Thanksgiving, when ood," he surprised her by saying

"It is for them both It’s tirinned as if he found her state, Beth stood again "Thank you for seeing ize in person" He hadn’t accepted her apology, she noted That was on hiivable, Beth"

"Thank you" Relief washed over her as she started for the door "You surprised me"

"How’s that?"

"I expected you to demand that I leave your office and haveyou was inize my name"

"Ah, but I did"

"You did?"

"I was curious to find out what brought you to my office"

That made sense "From past experience, you probably should have been afraid"

He grinned and Beth had the feeling he didn’t find"Would you s?"

Indecision passed over his features, tightening them briefly "Sure Go ahead, if you like It won’t make any difference, but if you feel it would help her to know that I’ve thought of her through the years, then by all " Beth made it all the way to his door before she hesitated and turned back "Would youone last question?"

"Depends on what it is"

"You loved her, didn’t you? Sunshine, that is"

His eyes grew sad and he nodded "Always"

For reasons that hit far too close to her own heart, tears gathered in Beth’s eyes She wanted to say more but was afraid if she did her voice would crack No matter what the future held for her and Saain, then she could accept that, no matter how much it hurt

When Beth arrived back at the house, she found a note from her mother on the kitchen counter

Out for the afternoon

Seeing that she had the house to herself, Beth made herself comfortable in her favorite chair, tucked her feet under her, and reached for her phone Her aunt was probably busy in her studio and would let the call go to voicemail and return it later, which was fine She was surprised when Sunshine picked up

"You okay, Sweet Pea?"

She wasn’t, but not for the reasons her aunt assumed Beth had yet to tell Sunshine about what had happened with Sam Deep down, she was confident he would eventually have a change of heart It was still so new she hadn’t dealt with her own feelings and wasn’t up to speaking about it, not even to Sunshine "I’h"

"What’s up?"

"Before I get to that, I need to say soed ahead "I want to apologize for the dinner Mrs Reacher and I arranged We both thought ere helping s up old hurts I’enuinely sorry If I could undo that dinner, I would I hope you knoould never intentionally hurt you I feel terrible knowing I did"