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She sed “Okay Okay Wow So it’s a shitty lot in life, but that doesn’tit for you, 4C You’re one of the et married and have lots of babies Don’t deny it”

“Of course I won’t deny it,” she said with a sad sulp of air and looked hiht in the eyes “But I want that with you, Josh”

She ht in the heart, maybe added in a sucker punch to the throat, because Josh suddenly felt faint “Don’t Heather, please, don’t”

“Don’t what? Don’t love you? Too late, neighbor It’s been too late for that for a long time now”

“We said ouldn’t—”

“Fall in love I know But I broke the rules, and now you have to decide what you’re going to do about it”

He saw froh her clouded face that she thought she knehat he was going to do with that information

Heather Fowler loved him

He lied He didn’t want to hear it

It nearly broke hih she knew that their ti cancer, one of the cruelest of destiny’s hands

“You love me, too,” she pressed on “Or at least you’re close And I have every intention of sealing the deal, so—”

“Heather Stop”

She broke off, pain flickering across her face before she tried to resume her former smile

He couldn’t do this He wouldn’t do this Not to her

Josh shook his head slowly “This thing we’ve hadit’s been fun, and it’s like I said, you’re one of the best girls I’ve ever known, but—”

“No,” she said quickly “No buts”

This ti how to push her away and not break her heart But as he looked at her face, a face he knew nearly as well as his own, he knew that she meant what she said She loved him There was no way to do this kindly, so he just had to do it