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CHAPTER 14

“So I broke up with Hugo,” Jess said while she and Sam sat in the Donaldsons’ family room that evening sharing a glass of wine. Sam was rummaging through her sewing basket with her leg in an Aircast propped up with three pillows. She stopped and looked at her friend.

“Oh, Jess. I’m sorry.”

“He was okay until he asked me to help him shave his back. I mean, I have enough beauty maintenance of my own without having to help a guy with his, too.”

“So you’re okay with that?”

Jess put down her wine on the coffee table and shrugged. “You know I haven’t been in real love for a long time. I don’t think it’s in the cards for me.” Suddenly she frowned. “What is that gnarled ball of cat hair you’re sewing?”

“Stevie’s blanket.”

“Does he know you’re doing surgery on it?”

Sam smiled. “He gave me permission.”

“Impressive.” Jess stood up and came over to look at the train wreck. The blue satin border was frayed. The soft middle was in shreds. And it was more gray than blue from dirt. “That’s the grossest thing I’ve ever seen.”

“Can’t argue with that. But it’s well-worn and well loved, that’s for sure.”

“I’d say it’s time for Bobby to retire and start hanging around with the other blankies and take up golf or something.”

Sam laughed and shook her head. “We’ve suggested that, but Stevie’s not having it.”

“Weas in you and Lukas?”

“Don’t give me grief, okay?”

Jess raised a brow. “I won’t say anything. Just observing that you’re sounding an awful lot like a couple. Anyway, from a teacher perspective, it would be nice to have Stevie give it up before school starts. The kids will only give him grief.”

“He’s had so many changes. This is probably the most constant thing in his life.” She wound her needle in and out of the threads, trying to make a stable lattice to hold the blanket together. “Besides, I don’t know if he’ll be here when school starts. Lukas is planning to take him on the road.” She paused while she focused on a tricky part. “And just for the record, there is no ‘we.’”

“Oh, okay, right. How is Mr.Heartbreak, by the way?”

“They’ve moved back to Lukas’s place. Most of the remodeling is done.” And that was that.

Jess didn’t say anything.

Sam glanced up from the blanket. “Harris is coming back tomorrow.”

“And how do you feel aboutthat?”

“Great. Everything’s just as it should be.” Actually, the house was dead silent. It felt like a lifeless void. Samantha missed Lukas and Stevie already.

Worse, she didn’twantHarris to come back.

“Aw, c’mon Sam. This is me. Your best, oldest, and dearest friend. Not to mention most attractive.”

Sam focused intently on weaving the thread in and out. “Okay, I’m having second thoughts. Harris isn’t ... who I thought he was.”

“If you ask me—which you haven’t—you’re in love with the little boy for sure. And maybe part of you has always been in love with Lukas. Not maybe. Probably.”

“The foolish part of me.” Oh, the blanket was getting fuzzier than usual and her stitches were blurring into even more of a mess.

“Let me ask you a question. If you had one more hour to live, which guy would you sleep with?”

“Jess!”