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Stella shifted back to huhed If this wasn’t happiness, it was close enough

And it was bringing Eva what she needed, and that was the

Stella got herself ready for work in the silent house Lynn was probably already gone; her wilderness guide business went from before dawn until after dusk in these su soer: still asleep

Eva had a summer job at the local coffee shop, and Stella was struck, as always, by how different they were: Eva was always on time, never seemed to have a problem with the hours Her least favorite part of the job was having to talk to all of the custoht that if she didn’t have custoo crazy

She got into her old clunker of a car, said a brief prayer, and turned the key It started, thank God, and off she went to another day at work

She parked in her usual spot, and took a deep breath This is normal, she reminded herself A normal job that normal people have If you don’t like it, too bad for you

She got out of the car—

“Stella!”

—and nearly jumped out of her skin

Todd ca behind his pickup She hadn’t noticed it at all when she pulled in, too occupied with her thoughts

“Todd,” she said nervously “What are you doing here?” She’d seen her ex-boyfriend here and there since Lynn and Ken and their friends had helped drive him and his pack off of their property He always had an excuse for being in town, though Going to the Park for the day, had to pick up so they didn’t sell in his teeny tiny town, some kind of reason

Now, though, he just took another step forward, his eyes fixed on her “I had to see you”

Stella took a step back “We broke up, Todd, remember? We don’t see each other anymore”

Todd shook his head “I can’t stand being apart from you, Stella”

Well, that was—a probleot it She’d felt it—that clawing desire, that need to be with a man all the time, always near him, alith his attention on her “It’ll fade with time, I promise” It always did

“No, it won’t,” Todd said “It’s been a month, and I still feel it I need you Come back home, Stella”

It was funny Usually Stella would be tempted by an offer like that She’d fallen for this sort of thing before Seeing so much emotion, so much passion, all directed at herit was a weakness of hers

Buttoo old for it, because this time, she wasn’t tempted Or maybe Todd had crossed too e too far, frightened Stella too much

She’d been scared for Eva’s safety, in that house, with Todd’s pack And Todd hadn’t done anything to keep his buddies in line

“I’ain,

” she told him “You couldn’t keep her safe, so I have to do it myself Go home, Todd”

“I won’t let them in anymore,” he promised

Men’s proht, so brief “No, Todd,” she said fir towards the diner