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"I told you," she said, focusing on her beer "He said I was probably wasting my time"

"I know him too well--what else did he say?"

"Really, he was just a crotchety old--"

"Come on--you never hold back The truth"

She turned wide, innocent, troubled green eyes up to his "He…He said if I found you, I should tell you he left the house and car to the paperboy"

Unexpectedly, Ian erupted in laughter He threw his head back and howled Marcie just stared at hihed until his eyes watered His lips were still curved in a sot it under control

"That is not funny," she said "I think it’s awful"

"But it’s so him," Ian said "I wonder if he burned all ave them away"

"Well, he doesn’t deserve you," she said in a pout, taking a sip of her beer

"So, no talk aboutback to Chico to see him one last time before he dies?" he teased

She looked startled "Ian, I never wanted that I’ you didn’t see four or five years ago"

"You deny that you wanted me to see him one last time…?"

"Ian, no! No, not that! I wanted hiht--that no matter how ood Strong and good Or, more specifically, I wanted you to let him know you were all that I swear"

"Why?" he asked, completely confused

She put her hand over his "Because of the kindness you have in you He doesn’t deserve it, he’s done nothing to earn it, he’d never even thank you for it--but he’s on the decline and it would be a good thing to do--to let the old guy know that in spite of everything, you’re still a good and strong man with a heart and you’re not like hiht maybe someday down the road you’d think of that anyway, and I just didn’t want you to think of it when it was too late" She smiled at him "Not for him, for you"

"You think you knowyou--with the wildlife, with the neighbors, with everything--it’s natural to you to do anything that takes heart and generosity I bet that was the hardest thing for you to give up"

On the et up to deliver wood He could have loaded the truck and et a better-than-usual price Instead, he , sunshine It’s a big day for you"

"You’re not selling wood?" she asked sleepily, sitting up

"Not today Your coffee’s hot at no risk" He grinned at her

"Hail"

"Tell me what I can do to ht for a s"

"Naoodbye to er, don’t watch ave a nod "If that’s how you want to do it"

"And can you tell ainst her wild curls "I feel everything for you But that won’t change the facts We’re strangers froe, and I’uy hat you call issues--piles of theh I think I made some small ones in spite of "

"You’ve coave him a little kiss "I think if I hadher attention "Listen I won’t kid you--you changed everything Come back sometiainst you Remember what you told me--that after you did this, after you found me and thanked s you had to be sure I knew, you were going to be free to move on It’s okay, Marcie Even after what passed between us Especially after what passed between us--you can move on if you want to I expect that"

"And what if what I want is you?" she asked hi in the world that could possibly make me sad is if I couldn’t make you happy That’s what scares me the most--that you would want me, and I’d let you down"

"Why do you even think that way?"

"Just a sorry old habit," he said

"I bet you could break that habit if you’d just let yourself"

He ss about you--your eternal optimisive it a try sometime"