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The entire hour I aiting for hiave myself pep talk after pep talk I ordered nancy the way I deal with everything else in ot you, that he’d support whatever I chose to do

But none of that had succeeded in riddingto my throat

Now the fear is even worse, for a whole other reason

"Beau is dead?" My heart pounds dangerously fast I’rief I see in Tucker’s eyes

"Yes He’s gone, darlin’"

I can’t understand it I can’t Beau is Briar’s starting quarterback Beau isyou a particularly naughty grin Beau is…

Dead

A car accident, apparently His father survived but Beau died

The tears I’ve been fighting spill over and stream down my cheeks in salty rivulets I try to breathe between sobs, but it’s hard, and eventually I’ That’s when Tucker wraps ht embrace

"Breathe," he whispers intoin

"Breathe" Fir up and down e to take a breath, and then another, and another, until I’, though Andit with a hot blade

"He’s…" I gulp "…was He was such a good guy, Tuck"

"I know"

"He was good and young and he shouldn’t be dead," I say fiercely

"I know"

"It’s not fair"

"I know"