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Of course he’d felt obligated

They’d been sitting beneathhim to kiss her The whole ti she’d asked of hiht it was because he cared about her—as a friend, at the very least But now… He’d played along with the kiss How could he have not, without e her in front of the Harveys?

She was embarrassed now

Hehis focus to the road “The pattern of stars, the hand-quilting, the time you put into that quilt, the words you wrote in the attached note about life in Pine Hill and thankingthat life possible…” His voice held awe “I don’t think you understand how much your quilt meant to me”

Bodie had her quilt The one she’d started prior to Aunt Jean getting sick, the one she’d quilted by hand while sitting at the hospital with her aunt hour after hour The quilt she’d let dry her tears of sorrohen her aunt had passed

She’d almost kept that quilt Instead, she’d reminded herself of why she’d made it, reminded herself that there was someone out there who needed itit, she’d written a note of all notes, expressing her gratitude for her life and all her blessings, her gratitude for those who made her life in Pine Hill possible

Bodie had been that someone, that soldier

“I knoher face Her heart pounded, rattling her ribcage

“Then you understand why it was just as i back to you”

All this ti with such dedication at Ha kindness for her quilt All his attention to detail, taking his ti her with anything she asked, it had all been because of the quilt

Her insides shredded into little bits as a mix of emotions hit her

Please don’t cry, Sarah Please don’t cry Grasp onto how angry his having deceived you this way makes you feel, but don’t cry

“I didn’t need your charity”

“But I did need yours”

Stunned at his soft confession, Sarah’s atteer became more difficult and she stared at him “I don’t understand”