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She didn’t exist She hadn’t been born She—

“Sienna?”

She blinked Jesse stood outside the bedroo herself into his arave hi smile

“Hi”

“You okay?”

Sos He asked it with all the interest of a stranger on the street

“Yes, yes, I’estured behind her, toward the bathrooreat to have showered I hope you don’t mind…?”

“No Of course not” A brief pause “Well—”

“Yes Well…” Her lips felt as if the smile were stuck to them “I, ah, I want to thank you for—”

“There’s coffee”

“Coffee,” she said brightly, and flashed another s into a TV coht I’d just—just, you know, get going…”

“Right I figured that Coffee, and then I’ll drive you into Bozeman”

“Just point et a lift”

“No” The deterle word surprised her “I mean—” He cleared his throat “I’ll take you to town”

Of course he would That way he’d be sure she wasn’t going to turn up on his property again

“Thank you If you don’t mind, I’d just as soon pass on the coffee Okay?”

He nodded, then looked her over “Sorry I don’t have anything that would fit you better”

“This is fine”

“Your sneakers are probably stiff with mud—”

“They’ll do”

“Good Good” A ht—”

“I’et those sneakers,” she said quickly, brushing past him

She didn’t get very far His hand curled around her arm “I was out of line”

“We already talked about this, remember? I’m as responsible for what happened as you are”

“Still, I owe you an apology”

“Fine Apology accepted—assu you’ve accepted mine”

Jesse held out his hand She looked at it for a long moment before she took it