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“Lexie, I’m so sorry”

“Re to marry someone who fit into your life, not so to fityou do it You knoas just giving in to it Ohbut tears burned hot in ave me a job At your family’s inn Do you see how crazy that is?”

“No”

“Of course you don’t You’ve never been shoved into the corners of soht I knew better I really did”

Ben was suddenly standing in the doorway “Lexie?” he whispered “We should start the show”

“We should cancel the show,” Ethan said

“No way!” Ben cried “We worked so hard And—”

“We aren’t canceling the show,” I said, wiping ht?”

I wanted to hug Ben but I was suddenly trapped in ht ofthat needed to be fixed

But Ben, as braver than me, stepped forward and wrapped his ar club,” he said “And I think you’re awesome”

“You’re awesole those reindeer”

Ben was off but suddenly his mother was there and I was absolutely braced for another awful confrontation and I almost crumbled But then Ben’s mom put her hand out for me to shake “Hi, I’m Ben’s mom, DeeDee We haven’t officially met I just wanted to tell you that Ben thinks the world of you And so do we He’s just really blossomed in your club”

“Thank…thank you”

“And I am so sorry that your privacy was invaded the way it was It’s just not right Or fair We’ll be back next year and Ben’s asking if you do a summer camp—he’d like to be a part of it Thank you”

She squeezed my hand oneto keep it all together

“I’et on that microphone,” Ethan said, quietly “And tell everyone we’re married”

“You’ll just s worse,” I said But I kneould do it anyway He was trapped in his body, too His way of handling things

“I’ to watch from the back,” I said “I don’t want to distract people from the kids”

Ethan wanted to askTo understand that his heart was in the right place and he’d just said the wrong thing He wanted me to believe he could fix this And he could