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“Now he tells me! No, really, I didn’t want to”

“You looktoo much about his looks? Paul wondered)

They sat down at a picnic table with a view of the pond The sun’s rays illu his features reen than blue The light and shadow, the green of his eyes contrasted with the green of the s—Paul wondered what classical artist could best have captured this scene

“You knohat I learned?” Ian asked, sucking on his cigarette and blowing the smoke out of his nose (So much for the classical masters) “They said that when one spouse is an alcoholic, the husbands usually end up leaving, but the wives usually stick it out What do you think that says?”

“I don’t know”

“Men are selfish shits, that’s what I think,” he said, gazing off into the woods “They say, ‘This isn’t fun for me anymore’, and they take off”

Paul laughed “We’re not still talking about husbands and wives, are we?”

Ian tucked a strand of hair behind his ear and let his fingers run all the way down through the long tresses “It’s okay,” he said “I probably would have du myself”

Paul wished he could tell Ian what he was thinking: I wouldn’t

Ian rested his chin on his palers, his pinky dangling in the corner of his mouth so he could chew absentmindedly on the much-abused nail Two bad habits for the price of one, Paul thought He laughed to himself

“What?” Ian asked

“Nothing,” he said

They gazed at each other for a moment with curiosity It seemed as if they had just shared a secret, but Paul could not be sure what the secret was

“I think you’re different,” Ian said “I bet if your as alcoholic you’d stick around”

“Why do you think so?”