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Brooke carefully put her fork down Having a sharp instruht not be wise “More than I used to You’d be sirl you remember”

“Don’t make trouble for my brother”

“I don’t knohat you’re talking about”

“You told Gabe Wesson that Vincent was causing the problems at the mine”

Not exactly true but Brooke didn’t argue Marsha had a way of twisting things to suit herself

Marsha’s shrill voice rose “You hate randpa hatedfrom our family”

The cheerful chatter inside the s A deep flush heated Brooke’s face Her stomach knotted

“This is not the place to air your grievances against my family, Marsha,” she said quietly

“Leave er close to Brooke’s nose “Or sleeping with Gabe Wesson won’t be enough to protect you”

With one final, furious glare at Kylie, Marsha whirled and stomped out of the café

Face flaht back humiliated tears She wanted to run away and hide She wanted to crawl under one of the tables and curl into the fetal position

She wanted a big strong shoulder to cry on Gabe’s

Maybe she wasn’t so brave after all

Chapter Ten

“Don’t you pay one bit of attention to her” Jero and flapping a dish towel in the direction of Marsha’s wake as if shooing flies “If you were stuck with Billy Dean Harris for a husband you’d be bitter, too The louse hasn’t worked in so long he’s crippled his fingers fro beer cans all day”