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Aurora stood there, holding Noah, who pointed immediately at Dallas and said, “Dada”

“Christ,” Dallas said softly

Aurora brought Noah over and put hi his lips to the silky black hair, breathing in deeply “Tell him I loved him”

“You tell hi away tears with her sleeve “We’ll visit you every Saturday until they let you out”

Dallas kissed Noah’s pudgy cheek and then pulled Vivi Ann closer For one heartbreakingly perfect ether, the three of them, like it was supposed to be, and then he drew back

He placed Noah in Vivi Ann’s arms and said, “I won’t let hi him I won’t come out of my cell I knohat it’s like for a kid to have his old man behind bars”

“Buthoill he know you?”

“He won’t,” Dallas said, then he turned to Roy “Tell theo now”

Vivi Ann wanted to throw herself at hio, but she couldn’tso hard noas a blur of black and white, a sliver of ainst the wooden wall She didn’t blink or breathe or wipe her eyes, afraid that at the smallest movement, he’d disappear “I love you, Dallas,” she said

“Love Dada,” Noah agreed, nodding and pointing

At that, Dallas broke She saw it as clearly as if an arm had simply been snapped off or his spine had cracked “Get me out of here, Roy,” he said

And then he was gone

Every Saturday for the rest of the summer, Vivi Ann went to the prison to visit Dallas The re at the ranch She went out of her way not to talk to her father; she left a list for hi done

Noas the final night of the county fair For the past few days, she’d lost herself in the fairls this year, ranging in age from eleven to fifteen From the rassy field behind the horse barns, she was in irls—especially the younger ones—on schedule for their classes, so that each one was dressed,the class before theirs Vivi Ann was constantly running back and forth between the barn and the arena, with Noah in her ar to keep up with her There were mothers there, too, of course Julie and Brooke and Trayna were just as busy, doing the girls’ hair, polishing their horses’ hooves, fixing gear that broke at the worst tiht, everyone was dusty and exhausted and exhilarated

Everyone except Vivi Ann She was just dusty and exhausted