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“I’s I want to do—too ive them up,” she stated, clearly but softly “I never should have accepted your proposal in the first place I w

ouldn’t have, but I was so overwhel that I lost my head”

“You don’tI love you—and you lovewith the intensity of his feelings A raw hotness was coursing through his blood, the heat building

“Ty, don’t make this any entleed my mind” She had never been one to let her heart rule her head It was a ruthless determination that she’d inherited from her father

“Accept it Just like that” Anger raged through his low tone

“Yes” She was irritated with hi this into an emotional scene It flashed in her eyes as she started to twist the ring off her finger

“Keep it,” Ty declared hoarsely He left her sitting there and walked away in a numbed state of fury and pain

11

After hway that cut across the es rose into view There was sootten about them, rather like a battered suitcase left behind by a weary traveler who figured it wasn’t worth co back for

The ancient pickup truck slowed its rattling pace, which had never been too speedy Not ed to hitch a ride in whatever caer seat, an elbow crooked on the open hile he watched the buildings of Blue Moon crowd close to the highway, desperately clinging to their concrete lifeline There was no show of recognition on his face, and the position he’d held for e

The scrawny, grizzled old less truck more He wasn’t a talkative man, hadn’t said ive Ty a lift The gray stubble of a two-day growth of beard bristled on his hollow cheeks, and his deniray, even their patches

The only signs of life in the toere a couple of pickups parked in front of Sally’s The grizzled driver pulled the truck off the two-lane and braked it to a groaning stop Ty finally roused himself and reached for the door handle

“Thanks” He threw theout of the cab The old pickup truck vibrated like a ju bean as the motor idled

“You a Calder?” The land-worn ave Ty a narrow, steely-eyed look

Ty pushed the door shut and said through the open , “Yep”