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We glared at each other

Then Bailey rolled her eyes and slipped onto the stool next to hn has a tendency toward high-handed I need to re with now and then”

“He knows you’re up to so”

“Of course he does He knowsin black and white when it comes to the people he cares for He wouldn’t understand Emery and Jack”

“There is no Erabbed her hand “Bails, I adore you, you know that, but I don’t get this You hate Dana and Jack for what they did to Cooper Why would you push Emery toward Jack Devlin?”

“Because she’s stronger than you all think You all want to coddle and protect her, but maybe what she needs is to be pushed outside her co us And there are things that Jack is not telling us You forget I greith Jack Devlin I hero-worshipped the guy He is not a bad person, Dahlia” She shook her head “He punched out Stu when he heard his brother attackedafter Cooper’s liquor license”

This was true When Jess and Cooper first started dating, Ian Devlin had been harassing Cooper about buying his bar for months Devlin had bribed someone on the city board of licenses so that Cooper’s liquor license wouldn’t be renewed, thus forcing him out of business Cooper would never have found out until it was too late if Jack hadn’t warned Jessica about it

It was Jess’s idea to n a petition stating we’d close our doors if Cooper’s license wasn’t renewed Jess and Cooper took the petition to the city council, and the chairwoman saas in her best interest, and in the interest of our tourist econoate and renew his license

“You know that I agree with you about Jack That there’sus everything about her past There’s a reason she’s so introverted and shy And yes, that does make me want to handle her with care because I have this awful feeling that someone didn’t handle her with care, Bailey”

Bailey sat back, her eyes darkening orry

“Jack is hiding so That’s a man riddled with issues I know Emery has a crush on hi as a woood person interested in her … I don’t want Eh She needs soether Don’t push this Please”

After a moment’s study, Bailey nodded “I’ll leave them alone”

“Good” I heaved a sigh of relief

“But I can’t leave what you just said alone You are not Jack Devlin, Dahlia And Michael is not Eood person You do deserve Michael And whatever deht, her eyes blazing with sincerity and concern—“you have to let it go before you lose Michael forever”

“Bailey—”