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Candace schooled her voice carefully, desperately trying to keep the deadly edge frouests "Mother, I can still be a positive influence" Without looking at Stephen, she oal is to be a LPC But I could work for CPS, or do any nu people who need it"

She saw him nod in her peripheral vision, but couldn’t tell how interested he looked She didn’t really give a damn

"I don’t know," Sylvia went on, ht Consider the ele in contact with"

"Well, it’s a noble aspiration, Mrs Andrews You should be proud of her"

"Yes, of course, of course We are"

Right Her ed her major if Dad hadn’t talked her out of it Which surprised her, because he was usually right up herher every reed on so like that had floored Candace

"Stephen, I have a wonderful idea," Sylvia twittered suddenly "We’ll be going to our lake house for the weekend after the wedding You should come by for a visit, and of course you’re alelcome to stay if you don’t already have accoet better acquainted then"

"Thank you, Mrs Andrews," he said smoothly "I’ll probably take you up on that"

He hadn’t looked away froeda breath, she reached for her water glass and hated how her hand tre to inhale through sludge

Drowning She was going down

"I figured so solass froze on its way to her ht But that wasn’t what caused her to shudder All night, she’d tried not to think about Brian His iasp, the one-two-three count until sweet oblivion…because she figured she would completely lose her mind In front of all of them

At that moment, it felt as if every set of eyes in the rooh truthfully it was only Stephen’s and herup to the happy, too-perfect couple beanon at the head of the table She watched it all as if frolass back doithout ever taking a drink "There is someone," she said quietly

"Nonsense," herherself aanyone, Stephen Not at all"

It was the truth, wasn’t it? She wasn’t At all But…