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“I just want the best for you,” she whispered “The best for Ben”

“I know I know” Julia put her aro on inside, let’s find out what Ron is doing” Ben skipped ahead and Julia took one of Agnes’s fists in her hand—the fist holding the letter

Agnes looked down at it as if she’d forgotten it

“It’s for you,” she finally said Color was co back into her face “It’s from La” She put the letter into Julia’s hand and sape at the change from the hateful person she’d been just nes pulled a stunned Julia into her aret about that job and get your degree like Mitch wanted you to”

She readJulia could think She opened my mail!

“Oh, Ben!” Agnes yelled, her attention inside the house “You do not put that in your et hiry when he’s been walking with you”

With that unsubtle jab, Agnes hurried into the house

Julia stayed in the front yard The words of the letter—Dear Mrs Adams, it is our pleasure to infor in front of her eyes

What have I done? What am I in the middle of?

And how do I get out of it?

“I’M SORRY, JESSE,” Rachel said “I didn’t mean to interrupt—”

“You didn’t,” he said He tore his eyes away from Julia’s back as she crossed the street with her boy and his niece “You didn’t interrupt anything”

“That’s not what it looked like” Rachel laughed and Jesse wanted to put his hand through the wall He stomped past her to the kitchen He took all the plates and dumped them in the sink, where one of them broke

“Jesse, I’m sorry” She put her hand on his shoulder and he jerked away “I didn’t mean to make a joke”

“No, make jokes It’s hilarious Me and Mitch’sIt’s the funniest da on the planet”

“It’s not It’s not funny” Rachel’s dark green eyes swept over him “I can tell it’s really important to you”