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They stabled Stor with so a lot better,” Sky said “But if he’s ht back where he was Ride hiht” His unspokena horse, as she’d done, was as serious an offense as neglecting a person

They left the barn and walked clear of the bright floodlights Hestrides to her shorter steps but made no move to reach for her hand “I take it I’m still in trouble,” she said

“With h to needle her

“I’ I’m in trouble with both of you So how can I redeem myself?”

“I’ve already told you what you can do about the horse,” he said

“And you?”

“No prolanced down at her “You said your father found out about us”

“He guessed after talking to Josh Hardesty I didn’t deny it He wouldn’t have believed me if I had There was an awful scene He called me names—names I won’t repeat out loud”

“We both kneas bound to happen I’o as far as they did”

The words Sky spoke weren’t the ones Lauren had co, she willed herself to speak calmly

“He threatened to spread lies about you, to ruin your reputation if I saw you again I kneasn’t bluffing My father has powerful connections He would have used them to destroy you I couldn’t let him do that I was on a plane to Baltimore the next day”

“And you didn’t think to tell me, or even to tell Beau?”

“I didn’t knohat to say I was going to e-ether They never really did”

They walked in silence, their round She’d spentabout what to say to hiht So far she’d played it badly, saying all the wrong things,a fool of herself And noas too late to take it back and start over All she could do was stumble on

“Just onein such an all-fired hurry to leave, why did you come back?”