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She nodded

Another sigh "I’d tell her to ask herself a very important question Will the person cause her harm, emotionally or physically?"

He still had it backward, but the ansas yes She, too, pushed her cards away She’d been right, then, to break things off with Riley She’d been wrong to let things start back up again But she couldn’t regret her actions She’d had that one glorious night with hirets For the most part

Die She sed the lump in her throat

"If the answer is yes, I always tell my patients to leave the relationship" He reached over and took her hand "Always Now Do I need to get uns, and therefore don’t own one Besides, Riley hasn’t hurtlike that He never would, either He’s very protective" And I need to be protective of him

"Then what’s the probleh, though this one was forced "That may be true with your patients, but that’s never been the case withwas personal "So anyway," she said, quickly changing the subject "I’ve been wondering If you knew you only had one more day to live, ould you want to do?"

"Planning on killing me?"

She rolled her eyes "Be serious"

"You’ve never been this " He released her and tapped a fingertip against his chin "I’d pay the preoing to be properly cared for, and then spend the rest of"Thank you"

"And I’d want to tell you the truth about so secrets"

Her mind locked onto that one word--secrets--and she froze Even her heart skipped a beat as panic whipped through her "Wh-what?"

"I, well, Ihis cheeks

Her eyes widened "Really? Who? When? Where? Tell hed "So many questions at once Yes, really I rocery And I, well…I asked her out on a date"

"Dad!"

"I haven’t been on a date in ages, but I couldn’t help ent and, well, pretty"

Mary Ann was…glad He deserved to be happy Especially if she…if she…no, she wouldn’t think like that He just deserved to be happy "You’re leaving details out What’d you guys talk about? What’s she like? Where are you going to take--"

The doorbell rang, and they both jurinned sheepishly "We’ll resuet the door" He uncoiled from the chair and strode off while Mary Ann cleaned up the cards,at the turn of events Her dad On a date Oh, he’d been on one or two over the years, but nothing serious, and not once had he lit up like that His interest had always been detached

A few seconds later, she heard a fehter, and it was such a sweet sound What was going on in there?

"Mary Ann," he called "Co roo in herover at her dad, as grinning like a loon and saying so a white silk blouse and a flohite skirt Her skin was flawless, ally lovely Could this be the rocery store babe?

Mary Ann cleared her throat

Her dad glanced over at her, radiating so much excitement she actually had to look away "Mary Ann, this is the wo, though her gaze didn’t leave Mary Ann’s dad She was petting his cheek, as if he was a favored puppy "Mary Ann I’ve heard so rocery? Don’t be petty This was a good thing "Nice to meet you," she said

Finally the newcoasped in horror Those eyes…glowing, wide and brown, revealing the sheen of glitter in her too-perfect skin This was no human

This was a fairy

"Leave --"

"Mary Ann," he said, clearly shocked and disappointed by her behavior "That isn’t how you--"

"Be a dear and go to your room," the fairy told him "Stay there, no matter what you hear"

"Of course," he said, and walked off without another word, heading up the stairs and never looking back

Mary Ann’s heart threatened to beat its way out of her chest She wanted to run, but she remained in place She would protect her dad, no matter what she had to do But the simple fact was, she’d never dealt with a fairy before She knew only what Riley and Victoria had told her