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“I don’t knohere she is”
May smiled “I know someone who does”
DOMINIQUE MIGHT BE small, but she was for with the protective instincts of a er
“I should tell you this inforhter You hurt her, Clay She wasn’t crying She was sobbing Her heart broken, her spirit shattered You knew her deepest, darkest secrets You claie So, no, I won’t tell you where she is”
He stared at the tiny wo in front of him and wondered if there were any words to convince her Because as far as he could figure out, she was the only person who knehere to find Charlie
He thought about all the things he could say, how he could explain and realized there was only the heart-wrenching honesty he had learned frohter
He drew in a breath, then dropped to his knees “I love her, Do and I want to tell her that I want to beg her to forgive ive me another chance and I plan to spend the rest ofher I’m the one for her”
Doood reason why I should trust you”
He swore silently A trick question He knew if he got it wrong, he was totally screwed But as the right answer? The one that would convince her that he—
And then he knew No Not hi But he’d been too blind to see it
“You should trust me because Charlie loves me, too”
“I KNOW I said I’d leave you alone,” Doe me”
“Mom, this is crazy”
“Agreed And a cliché But it will only take a minute”
“Why don’t you come here?”
“Because there’s so you need to see Don’t make me use my stern voice, Chantal”
Charlie gave a strangled laugh “We wouldn’t want that, would we? Fine I’ll meet you in Times Square at three o’clock”
“Take a cab You don’t know the subway syste to happen to you”
“I can handle myself on the subway”
Dohed “You’re so stubborn”
“I get that from you, Mom”
“I know It’s a point of pride See you at three”
“Okay I love you, Mom”
“I love you, too, Charlie”
Charlie hung up the phone She’d been in New York for three days and couldn’t wait to leave Sure it was a terrific city and her ht and had views of Central Park But none of it was Fool’s Gold She missed her friends, the town, the mountains and most of all, Clay
Coh She no longer cried all day She’d even slept a little the night before Maybe later she would order takeout and eat soress
She owed Doed for a private jet to fly her to New York A town car had whisked her to the apartment The privacy had allowed her to cry, to feel her pain and hopefully figure out a way to endure it until it faded
Coht as she walked into the guest bathrooo out to eat Being around her o, she would have sworn she couldn’t stand to be in the sa time with her
She changed into a slightly less ratty shirt than the one she’d had on She should probably put on better jeans Dominique was always dressed so nice But it would take e Later, when they’d couilt her into different clothes She would face the issue then
A little after two, she left the building and decided to walk It was a crisp, clear fall day The leaves had started to change and all of the city was vibrant with reds and golds, and pues and in doorways