【】akeonthering.

itynothavebeenafairrepresentationofrachelsaid.”

”abeseeglook,he

said,”igaveherthatringbecauseilovedher.itbelieveshe

tookitanyotherway.”

”yougaveittoheratatiedyou,n.she

sfirls.”

”onbirthdays.forchrists.andshovldido

iftheycdplayersorpatagoniajacketsorleatherbaks,and

ihavetheney,alltheti.

itsnotliketheres.”

”doyoureallybelievethatoretithatwas

ost.thatissed.shedidnt

theney.

shehaditodidnthelp.”

”ah.”jackpushedahandthroughhishair.”wevebeendohisroad

before,rachelandi.shehaditandspuedit.,igrewuppoor.

dirtpoor.neyanssothing,afterthat.”

”butitsnotabovtney,”katherinesaid,suddenlyiassioned.

”youuldhavedebillions,andraared,ifyou

hadbeeionally.butyouhwork,you

lostsightofattered.yourdayse

nightti,youhadlessandlessleftoverforrachelandthegirls.i

seeit,too.youhbriefcase,laptop,and

phone.

hey”sheheldupahandiotplaining.ithinkitsgreatthat

yourehere.ithinkthatifyoudbeenhalfasportablehwork

arried,youdstillberried.butareyouenjoying

it

doesntlooktolikeyouare.youlookhassled.sosoofthats

rachel,butiseeyouonthephone.ihearyou.youre

nothavingfun.houchisenough”jackstaredathersilentlyfor

ati,thendroppedhiseyes.”idontknow,”hefinallysaid.

buthethoughtaboutit,andthoughtabout

itbackatthehouse.hethoughtaboutithe

ddleofthenightandfoundhopehtearstreaksonhercheeks,

onthefarsideofrachelsbed,soundasleep.he

thoughtaboutitasgone.

sittingontheedgeofthebedrubbingastiffshoulder,hestilldidnt

knooingchillfeltgoodonhis

skin.

hestreteorthishands

oheair,andaplace

thatdidntneedss.

itplace.thereover

priission.allhehadtodowaswalk,

breathe,listen,andlook,andthebeautyhere.

justthen,thatwasenough.

hepulledhisheadinandclosedthehephone,he

gillwas

theproject.lifeby

abunchoftpolitis,hesaid.no,hedidnttotake

ouch.yes,he

knebepaidifhequit.buthebepaid,anyway,

inutede

interpretations.

sohetinghislosses.thanksalot.byebye.

hephone,hisshoulderfeltbetter,andnowonder.

theloadhadbeenlightenedalittle.david.butthat

hought.theohatliheuldnt

totellrachel.

chapterthirteen.

lorandallyopekatherinebelievedthat

loyaltysteedfrocdatingthet,hencesheenat

theshopfarearlier.shehadaseventhirtythisoing,a

younganenhourstintasnciergeataresortinthe

valley.evenifkatherinehadntbeenfondofherhshewasshe

knearrracey

totrynehingsand

hadthekindofthihestnuthairayfeaturestoall

well.

todaytheyhadagreedonapartialfacefra.katherinearefully

layeringtralight

brooashtocreateasubtleglorae.there

uentsrarelyjabbered,and

traceydidherapy.sheenthher

yeandherefor

theoth.thesoundsofahroughtheshop,

alonghthestoffreshlybreeadrinker

likekatherine,ongrassherbteaost

drealy,shesaid,”

theresanie.”katherinefollooutthe

frontels

indrag.thisearlyiheretlebyher

vehicularorpedestriantraffittraceysaood

rightout.itan.heherineuld

dorethanadrehisshortsandhisstride.

”invious,”shesaid,resuailof

herbunderanotherlayer,deftlycatgalteatestrands.

”certainpeoplehavethebuildtodothat.”shetookasquareof

foil.

tralassesand

instructors.

butrunhingelse.

”not,”traceysaid.”ifihavetoexercise,idratherenjoy

ioing.runningistorture.”katherineusedabrushtoslatherthe

separatedhairontofoilhohethreelorsinnearby

bowls.

”notsotorturous,ifyourbodyisdeforit.arathon,and

youllseeit.thoserunnersarelean.theyrenotevenheavily

scled,thoughyouknoheyreinperfedition.”shesetthe

brushasideandfoldedthefoilinhalf.

”esfirst,”traceyasked,”thechi,ortheeggarethey

leanbecausetheyrunordotheyrunbecausetheyrelean”

katheriartedagainb.”both.ithink

theresageitor.itriedrunningt

totufortyanddecidedthatrunningatenk

birthdaygiftforself.thatsonlysixsothingles.pieceof

cake.”shereachedforthefoil.

”no””no.”asendbrush,sendlor.”aftertiles,ked

shinsplints.irestedandtriedagain.sathing.ibackeduptoa

halfleandsloestinthebook

done.

theonlythingtheyuldfindhatiing.iged

sneakers.

igotorthotics.ididspehesandlongerup

...