Page 46 (1/2)

After a fewarea at the foot of the Keuka hiking trail, pushed down the kickstand and clipped Spike’s leash on "Come on, baby, let’s take a walk"

Birds hopped and twittered in the trees, and Honor could hear the rush of water frousted

There was a bench up ahead, and a lovely view of the Crooked Lake A fa there, clad all in black Spike went crazy, pulling on the leash, barking away

"Charlie?"

The boy turned, then jerked his gaze back to the view

"Hi How’s it going?" she asked, sitting next to hied

Charlie said nothing, but he extended his hand so Spike could sniff it,whine in joy

"Are you back for a visit?" she asked, wondering if Tom knew God, it would mean the world to hiood," Charlie mumbled He picked at a hole in his jeans

Oh, crap She’d never e to throttle him "I’m sorry," she said

"Why? Sodeal It doesn’tWhat’s it to you?"

"Does Toed

"Have you called him?"

"No, okay? Jeesh! Leave me alone"

"You should call him, Charlie He cares a lot about you"

"I don’t care! I don’t care about Tom, okay?" Spike barked ! I didn’t want to learn how to box! I never asked him for that He treats me like an idiot baby with those stupid model airplanes and presents, like he can buy me! Like I can’t tell that he hates me!"

Yark! Yark! Yark! "Spike, be quiet," Honor ordered, scooping up the dog The dog obeyed She looked at Charlie and squinted Teenagers Attitude Yawn "So you’re not a baby?" she said

"No," he snapped

"Then stop acting like one" Huh Hadn’t planned on saying that

"What do you know about anything?" He kicked his shoe in the sand

"A lotto stay in your life"

"I never asked him--"

"Shush Now I know it must be incredibly hard to have had your , too"

"My mom didn’t just die," he said "Sheleft"

Honor softened "I know, honey"

"And what if she wasn’t co back?"

"I bet she was"