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“Thanks” Vivi Ann downed the drink and ordered another, drinking it as quickly She scanned the crowd, seeing Butchie and Erik in the corner with their wives, and Julie and Kent John in the back playing pool Winona was on the dance floor with Ken Otter, the dentist who’d recently divorced his wife

“I hear they just started dating,” Aurora said, following Vivi Ann’s gaze

“Lucky him,” Vivi Ann said bitterly

The band finished one song and started another It took Vivi Ann only a note or two to recognize it: “Mamas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys”

Vivi Ann ordered another straight shot and drank it down, but it didn’t help to get rid of this titanic sense of loss

And then she saw Winona co her way

“I gotta go,” she muttered

“Don’t—” Aurora said, reaching for her

Vivi Ann pulled free and ran stuain, but that wasn’t good enough She needed to be gone from here, away from this place where he was everywhere

She ran back to Aurora’s house and went straight to her truck, leaving Noah asleep in Aurora’s safe, e, she hit the brake so hard she lurched forward, s wheel when she parked

To the left lay her cabin and the bed she’d shared with Dallas

To the right lay the house where she’d grown up, and inside was her father, once her safe place and idol; now, nothing Without him and her whole family, she felt lost, but there was no help for that He and Winona had o when they turned their backs on Dallas

Dallas

Vivi Annforward, she went into the barn, down the aisle to Cle the latch, she pushed the heavy wooden door open

“Hey, Cle the stall door behind her