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In thatSo what if she didn’t exactly enjoy sleeping with her soon-to-be husband? Marriage wasn’t all about the sex Hell, just froleaned that e wasn’t always about the love either It was about feeling secure and in control

Then why do I keep circling back to the sex thing?

“Damn you, Billie,” she muttered

“Are you ready?” Herschel sed into it and nodded, taking her graan afternoon

The car was parked out front, already running and warmed up, and it was only a few seconds later that she was inside And though Herschel , she was cold Her hands trembled and her teeth chattered

But that was norht? That was just nerves

There was no music or noise in the car as Herschel carefully manoeuvred out of the driveway and headed don, toward St Paul’s It was in the older section of New Waterford, across the bridge, and it was there that each of the Barker girls had been christened and made their first communions

It was also the church where their father hadbeen dead, their love had been real Bobbi squeezed her eyes shut as photos froes of her , was all she saw and it took a lot of effort for her to push them away

“We’re here darlin’”

Bobbi leaned back in the car, her gaze on the steps leading up to the church The ay had been well shoveled and salted There wasn’t even a hint of ice, though the glare fro look cold and harsh

A shiver rolled over her slight frae SUV parked a few feet ahead Red bows hung off the back end and one had fallen free, no doubt ripped fro by the crisp wind that buffeted the vehicle Her eyes focused on it and

she thought that it looked like blood in the snow

“Bobbi, are you ready?”

Her heart took off at the sound of her grandfather’s voice and her throat was so dry she didn’t think she could answer Movelanced back up at the church, her eyes on Billie as her sister waved, gave the thumbs up, and then disappeared back inside

For several seconds the only thing Bobbi heard was the rough intake of her breath and the heavy beat of her heart