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“That, too” She rubbed her right foot against her left calf and tried to ignore the chill seeping through her What were a few shivers when coht conversation with her own private fantasy?

“Wewith a bunch of people You kno she is Always the center of attention”

She paused, but Zane didn’t speak So she continued

“She had this big cup of coffee, which she accidentally spilled all over et cleaned up We started talking, and by the end of the , ere friends”

Phoebe didn’t e While the foster ho, after the death of her parents, they’d been all she’d known At eighteen, she’d had to leave, and it was like losing her faain

“I didn’t have anyone,” Phoebe said “Maya took ood friend”

“I never thanked you for your help today,” he said “I figured Chase would do all the talking when those folks started arriving Most of the tih to shut up But he didn’t say a word”

“Maybe he was overwhelmed by the enormity of what he’s done”

One dark eyebrow lifted slightly “I wouldn’t bet on that if I were you”

“You don’t think he’s remorseful?”

“Not yet, but he’s going to be” Zane paused, then shook his head “He’s not the only one who didn’t think things through I’o on the cattle drive he’d created seeood way to teach hi out in the ”

“It’s not what you thought,” she said, finishing his sentence

Zane looked at her She had the sudden thought that maybe she wasn’t supposed to participate at that level She was about to apologize when he nodded

“That’s right”

She shivered again, but this ti to do with cold and everything to do with the tingles skittering through her What was it about thisher butt off, probably looking like cat gack, she couldn’t help thinking there was nowhere else she wanted to be and no one else she wanted to be with

“I need to have my head examined,” she murmured before she could stop herself

“Why?”

She laughed “Just on general principal I’”

THE SOUND OF Phoebe’s laughter drifted through the night Funny how it sort of got inside Zane and h that was plenty hard right now There was also a pressure in his chest, and his gut

“Soe,” he said