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"Of course you can fall in love You just have to let yourself They dont call it falling for nothing "

The words should have comforted Tully; they were intended to be hopeful, she knew that, but just then, she couldnt feel that opti heard the in me," she said quietly "First my dad saw it Whoever the hell he is; he must have taken one look atmother Imeasy to leave Why is that?"

Kate scooted down the couch, leaned against Tully just the way they used to, all those years ago on the banks of the Pilchuck The snack box poked into her back and she pulled it out from behind her and tossed it onto thein you, Tully Its the opposite, in fact Youre more than most people You are really, really special, and if Chad didnt see that—or couldnt wait for you to be ready for hiuy for you Maybe thats a noruy Hes ready to land when youre just taking off "

"Thats true I aot about that He should have understood that and waited for me I mean, if he really loved me, how could he have left me? Could you leave someone you loved?"

"It depends "

"On what?"

"If I thought he was ever going to love me back "

"How long would you wait?"

"A long time "

That made Tully feel better for the first tiht I loved hih anyway "

Kate frowned "Thats not exactly what I said "

"Close enough Were way too young to get tied down by love How could I have forgotten that?" She gave Kate a hug "What would I do without you?"

It wasnt until ht, as Tully lay in bed watching another day dawn through the , that her oords ca in their intensity Easy to leave

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

From theher friends life fro separate lives, connected only by place By the following summers end, their tiny apart of a way station Tully spent twelve hours a day, seven days a week, working When she wasnt technically at work, she was chasing down leads and following stories, trying like hell to do so—that would put her in front of the camera