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I took out a Kleenex and blew my nose "I just realized how much I envy you," I said

He sot back in the car There’d been no blinding recall, no sudden recollection of forgotten facts, but I’d seen theand I’d felt the bond between us strengthened

"Have you been up here since the accident?"

"No I never had the nerve and no one ever suggested it Made me sweat"

I started the car "How about a beer?"

"How about a bourbon on the rocks?"

We went to the Stage Coach Tavern, just off the main road, and talked for the rest of the afternoon

Chapter 8

When I dropped hiot out of the car, pausing as he’d done before with his hand on the door, peering back in at me

"Knohat I like about you?" he said

"What," I said

"When I’m with you, I don’t feel self-conscious or like I’ly I don’t kno you do that, but it’s nice"

I looked at hi oddly self-conscious myself "I’ll tell you You reh the ed, but there’s still so terrific in there I enjoy your colanced over at the house and then back toelse on his mind, but he seemed embarrassed to admit to it