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WHEN THE SUN HAD FINALLY risen and a decent-enough hour approached, Jaot dressed Dockers, blue oxford with the sleeves rolled up His carpentry as finished

He looked in the ; Lavinia was already here, playing cards with Nicky on the floor of the kitchen James knocked

“Hey there, Jamie,” Lavinia said “Come on in, sweetheart”

“I’ for Parker, if she has a minute,” he answered “Hi, Nick”

Nicky didn’t answer Refused to even look at him

At that ht of her hit him like a truck

“James Hi,” she said warily

“Hi Sorry it’s so early” It was after nine, not really early at all “Got a sec?”

“Sure U an eye on him, do you?”

“Not a bit,” Lavinia answered “See you, James”

So Lavinia already kneas toast

Parker came out and walked around the house to the street side Not down on the dock, thank God She stopped and folded her arms

“Parker, I’an

“It’s okay Nicky hides all the time All’s well that ends well It wasn’t your fault”

Sure it was He could feel it

“Thank you for trying to find hi his eyes “It must’ve been horrible for you”

“No I ht was too unspeakable to finish “I’lad he’s okay”

“Yes” She looked at the yellow and orange lilies along the fence, which she’d liberated froo “I heard you took a job in Manhattan”

Harry must’ve told her “Yeah”

“It sounds perfect for you Congratulations”

And there it was “Thanks They just called Last week”

She nodded, glancing at hiain “Jaht I was…I don’t know Caught up in the whole su Sorry if I see babies The truth is, I don’t want any ht?”

“Yeah Sure, he’s a great kid” He glanced at the house “Anything else you need me to do here?” he asked

“No Thank you You were so helpful, James”

He nodded “Well, I’ll probably see you before you head back for Rhode Island I have to help Deith a couple things, so I’ll be around I’ll…I’ll pick up Apollo before I go”

“Thank you”

And with that, he went back to his truck and backed out of the driveway

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

IT DIDN’T FEEL RIGHT, having the summer end like this

Three days after Nicky’s incident, and Parker was still tense She hadn’t seen Jah he’d co her a note that only said to call if she needed anything On the house front, there’d been only one solid offer, so she supposed she’d have to take it, though it wasn’t a heck of a lot Another couple had her offer, but they had to sell their own place first, and tiet back to Rhode Island, settle into the new place Two college friends said they could hook her up with a job—insurance or technical writing

She really couldn’t picture doing either one Then again, she hadn’t been able to picture fixing a leaky toilet before this sued to do that

They were leaving on Monday; today was Saturday There’d be less traffic—more time to pack, not that there wasShe didn’t know

Nicky, on the other hand, couldn’t wait to go He’d been sullen since the night he hid, kept asking when he could go back to Daddy, and was generally rubbing Parker’s last nerve to a bloody nub She found herself counting the hours till bedtier for her child to go to sleep

It was Parker’s last day at the shop There was a funeral in the next town, and she and Vin were e Nicky draw on the sideith chalk through the hile Beauty kept him company

“You gonna forgive that boy?” Lavinia asked abruptly

“Nicky?”

“No, Parker Jamie Cahill”

“Oh” She paused “There was nothing to forgive It really wasn’t his fault”

“Well, he sure looks ht You dumped him, didn’t you?”

Parker glanced up, then resuladiola “No It ended He took a job in New York I’ back to Rhode Island That’s all”

Vin took a deep drag on her cigarette “Coulda fooled me The kid looks like what’s-his-name Spartacus?”

“Spartacus?”