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I turned back to the pot of water and lit the gas on the stove top I couldn’t stand there and watch the water boil, so once I was finished, I turned back around to face her She ringing her hands and watching rabbed one of her hands to make her stop "I meant what I said When I act like an ass, it’s because I’m all kinds of fked up You are perfect, Blythe I swear Stop worrying, and let’s go fix our plates Those fajitas smell incredible"

The tension in her shoulders eased "Okay," she replied, and started to walk toward the table The she stopped and glanced back at me "For what it’s worth, I don’t think you’re fked up I think you’re perfect too"

So not what I needed to hear her say She was going to killto be able to stay away from her

It was time I faced the facts

I was addicted to Blythe Denton More addicted than I’d been to anything in my life

Chapter Ten

BLYTHE

Linc didn’t show up at work on Monday, but he did text o to Mississippi for his dad for the next few days He didn’t giveabout his text see to avoid an explanation Two dates and soirlfriend I had no reason to expect an explanation

Krit, however, did show up for dinner that evening with cheeseburgers and fries We ate at the table like ays did, and he asked about h with stories about his bandmates I was always sad when it was time for him to leave, but I didn’t let him know

Tuesday at eleven fifteen I pulled up to the Pickle Shack I was incredibly nervous about eating with Krit’s sister I had spoken to her forquestions about Krit and me, I could answer truthfully, but I was afraidelse

The hope that she could be a friend and hed all my other fears I wanted to do this I just needed to prepareinto the restaurant, I ieous face were hard to miss She waved ata friend before walking over there

"You caht I wouldn’t have shown up I found it hard to believe people ever turned her down Male or fe out of the parking lot after class was backed up"

She shrugged as if it was no big deal "No worries I just got here myself I had to take some cupcakes to Daisy’s class It’s her birthday today Daisy’s hter," she explained

Trisha didn’t look older than twenty-four at the ine how she had a child in school already

Her srew, and she leaned on the table toward est child," she said with a twinkle in her eye "Brent is ten and Jimmy is thirteen My Daisy May turned nine today" She paused as I let the fact she had a thirteen-year-old sink in

"Rock and I adopted theh "You uy with the surfer hair Reuy with his arm around Amanda He was hard to s His mother wasShe wasn’t mentally healthy She had some addictions, and the only reason they lasted with her as long as they did was because Preston sacrificed everything to take care of the to take thenant, and the doctor had just recently told us it was impossible I wanted those kids," she said as tears welled up in her eyes "Daisy May hadn’t even been able to talk plain back then She had been neglected by her ot fro, in her eyes Preston Drake walks on water She loves Rock and even calls him Daddy, but he knows that Preston is her nuhed then shook her head "Sorry I get e about it Especially when I realize how blessed I am to have them"

I watched as the beautiful woman talked about these kids who had needed a mother, and I was amazed at how much she loved them They weren’t her kids, but she loved them as if they were I hadn’t known that was possible I often told myself that Mrs Williaiven birth toabout these kids who she obviously adored made my heart squeeze but also ed to say I knew I needed to say so She had just toldhere "That’s a really great story Those kids are very lucky to have someone like you and your husband in their lives Many kids don’t get that" I stopped talking when I realized howto drink?" a waitress asked, interrupting my slipup I had never been so thankful to be asked what I wanted to drink in et back to Krit As much as I wanted a female friendship, we didn’t have that yet I wasn’t ready to trust her with my story

"Diet Coke," Trisha told her "And some pickles, please Extra ranch"

"Sweet tea," I replied

The waitress turned and left, and Trisha looked back atYou’ll love theh about me Tell me about you All I know is you moved here for school, and my brother has taken a keen interest in you Which never happens by the way, so you have me completely fascinated"