page18 (1/2)

8

Luke

Despite saying she needed to get back to the yard, Sarah Jo didn’t atteed the subject

“You’ve been around Ryan a lot more than I have in the last few years Is there… or can you think of any way I could help hih time,” she said

“I think you’re already doing plenty I was going to ask you the saet him out to socialize more, or should I set him up on a date?”

“Oh, I’m not sure about that,” she wrinkled her nose “I think he’s pretty caught up in the whole chaos of the divorce right now I doubt he couldabout that so much that anyone we fix him up ould be—”

“Miserable?” I supplied She laughed, then put her hand over herin church

“Yeah, I think we need to help him keep as much of his personal business as private as possible And if we arrange a dinner date for hi is wrong when he’s at work and maintains that professional attitude, so once he’s off work, it’s like he can’t hold it in anymore And it just—spews out I don’t think he can help it,” she faltered

“I tried the other night to suggest he get some help, but he didn’t seem like he was ready to hear that,” I said carefully

“You were brave to try It was good of you You’re a good friend,” she said, “I honestly haven’t had the nerve to tell hiet ht he’d listen and take it seriously after he got over being o on and on I love my brother I just don’t want to kick over a hornet’s nest when I’ve already got my hands full”

“I can understand that I want to help him, partly because you’ve taken on sofor hi I say”

“Not while he’s still so mad at Whitney I think partly he’s mad because he thinks he can have it all, and he e because he was so into his career It’s like he feels cheated, like she tricked him,” she said “And I was never a Whitney fan, but he took her for granted”

“I wish I knehat to do for hi him stuck,” I said, “because he won’t help himself”