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It all sounded so pedestrian, so soap opera, but the truth was no better How could she put into words this passion she had for Dallas? It was so much more than sex In his armsin his bedshe felt whole It made no sense, even she knew that, but it was true nonetheless

At Luke’s house, she parked the truck and ran inside, searching roo out his name

He wasn’t home

Of course he wasn’t He was in town so for her At his kitchen counter, she stopped and took off her engage it on the avocado-colored tile Then she went back out to her truck and drove to town As she passed the gas station, an a

She pulled over, then eased back onto the road, driving slowly through town, looking for Luke’s truck She was nearing the bowling alley when she happened to glance to the left In the distance, she could see the start of Water’s Edge, the shadowy rolling pastures Red and ahts flashed up from the darkness The ambulance was at her house

Vivi Ann hit the gas hard and sped ho across the grass when two paraurney between them Dallas lay strapped on the narrow bed

She skidded to a stop beside hiht cheek was cut open One eye ollen and turning black

“Hey, Princess,” he said, wincing, trying to smile

“Oh, DalI’m sorry—”

“We’ve got to get him into the ambulance,” said one of the paramedics, and she nodded and stepped back

“I’ll meet you at the hospital,” she promised

“Don’t”

She leaned down and kissed his good cheek

“It’ll be ugly in there, Vivi”

“It’s my fault I shouldn’t have lied”