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“Joanne sent you a e to say Merry Christmas”

I tense The fact that Alex is filteringon so many levels My voice comes out harsher than I intend “How kind of you to convey the e I hope you told her Merry Christmas from me too?”

His blue eyes narrow inally, but he s her yourself?”

I glance at his laptop “Now?”

“If that’s fine with you She’s available They visited Joanne’s parents in Hudson for Christ her vacation time for warmer days”

“Wow” I utter a laugh “You know more about my friend’s life than I do these days”

“Katerina,” he says with a frown

I shrug “It’s true So? What did you tell her?”

“I told her we flew out to see your ht away due to ations”

“I see” My s to her then? Since you’ve already told her everything you want her to know”

He gets to his feet “Why are you so agitated about this? I thought you’d be happy to speak to her”

“You knoill es she sendsthem censored and relayed by you”

He rounds the sofa “What’s wrong with you?”

“What’s wrong withis you”

I turn for the door, but he grabs my wrist and hauls ood tiht you were happy to see your mother”

“I was happy to see her Very I already told you that”

“Then what’s gotten into you?”

“Everything,” I say, pulling free of his hold “This” I wave around the rooes And how about the fact that I don’t have a life any longer? You land your plane in the middle of Idaho and leave me there while you do whatever the hell it was you did there I don’t kno you justify that behavior to yourself, but it’s not okay, Alex”

His frown deepens “I had a businessThat’s all”

“It doesn’t matter why you went there What matters is that you’re selective with the information you share with me How do you expect me to trust you if you read all my emails but keep me in the dark about your affairs?”

He watches er, but I’m too upset to care

After a terseyou in the plane It was for your safety It won’t happen again”