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“You proved us wrong,” Duke pointed out “You were one of the best, Julie I mean that”
“Were,” she rasped “I’m not dead yet, Duke”
“I’lad about that, by the way,” Duke i for her He wanted to go to her then, wrap his arer, latch onto him and hold on for dear life
If he could only tell her how he planned to ns of the Julie he once loved, the Julie he knew still existed under the afflicted layers of sadness and defeat
“We’re here to pick you up,” Hank announced “I talked to Carl Carlton and he spoke to your publicist You’re looking at the only ride you have today”
“Rerumbled “Carl has no loyalty”
Duke ran his thue of his nose That was an understatehty dollar and when he had an injured driver, he tried to save public face Unfortunately, Carl’s interest in his driver’s welfare generally faded when he realized he wasn’t about to profit off their i strip
Julie’s gaze immediately shifted between Sam and Frank, two employees orked for thetime employee and they considered him a friend, practically fahly reco, too
They’d asked Sae fan of drag racing but recently ca ru their tea for another purpose Julie respected him He was, in many ways, like the father she never had
“Frank,” she whispered, a flash of genuine appreciation softening her cold, empty eyes as soon as he rounded the front of the SUV “What brings you up this way?”
Frank shot her a gentle smile He hurried toward her with open ar released today”
“Uh-huh,” she uess, you couldn’t make the trip from Tennessee alone? Either that or the Hinmans were afraid they couldn’t handle me” She quickly released him as she tossed out the accusation
Poor Frank looked ambushed for about a minute He stuffed his hands in his pockets and bowed his head He lifted his gaze again and his eyes met hers They were moist, but not because he felt sorry for Julie Oh no, those piercing black eyes with folds of wrinkles underneath held nothing but love for a woirl
Julie was visibly shaken by the old man’s expression She tilted her head to one side and said, “You have to overlook me, Frank I’ve been in a bad mood for the last ninety days or so”
“Me, too, little girl Me, too”