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“Yep I sent that new hand over for bute, too”

“Good” She went into the house and cooked dinner for hi the meal in the oven on low heat The three men ate catch-as-catch-can these days; Vivi Ann cooked in the farmhouse, but rarely sat down to eat with the e these days, with Noah When she was done, she returned to the porch

She was about to walk past her father when he said, “I hear Noah got in another fight today”

“The busybody express,” she said, irritated “They tell you who started it?”

The past was between them now, as visible as the hite planks at their feet

“You knoho started it”

“Your dinner is in the oven Tell Ronny to wash his dishes this time”

“Yep”

She walked out across the parking lot and driveway (paved since 2003) and stopped at the paddock behind the barn Renegade whinnied at her approach and hobbled toward her, his knobby, arthritic knees popping at each step

“Hey, boy” She rubbed his grayingears It flashed through her ade?

Pushing the thought aside, she headed up toward her house Renegade followed on his side of the fencing, liave up and stood there, watching her go

She was careful not to look back at hie When she opened the door, she knew that Noah was ho beat of music rattled the knotty pine walls She drew in a deep breath and released it slowly Lord knew anger wouldn’t aid her now

At his bedroom door, she paused and knocked It was impossible to hear an answer above the music, so she opened the door and went inside

His roo and narrow, a recent addition to the cabin Posters of bands covered his walls—Godsmack, Nine Inch Nails, Korn, Metallica He had his own computer in the corner and a television hooked up to an Xbox

Maybe that was the probleiven him tooto make up for what he’d lost