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DAY FIVE

My index finger hovered over my computer keyboard’s delete button.

I tapped it, removing the bus crash from the story.

It had done its job in getting me going.

I stopped tapping, shook out my hands, then stretched my back.

Two words popped off the screen as I stared at it.

Lattimore Mountain.

The place I’d set this book. The place I’d created. The place where my characters found each other.

I’d make that the title.

Warmth settled into my chest.

Although a title without a complete story wouldn’t get me very far.

I started typing again.

****

I broke off in time to rush to Shep’s Market for more goodies to ring in the New Year tonight with Teague, Clara, and Ned.

And there was Urban, this time just in front of me in line.

After terse hellos, I blurted out, “You didn’t take me into your confidence.”

“No, I didn’t.”

He said no more, but I got the idea that he was somehow pointing out that I hadn’t taken him completely into my confidence, either.

He couldn’t have meant my secret history, since that was... well, secret. He didn’t know about it. Nobody in North Bend County did.

Teague would be the first... when we could have that talk.

Besides, you couldn’t tell everybody everything. Even if you hit it off, the way Urban and I had, it took a while. Not to mention most of our conversations centered around the history of this county, not our personal histories.

In other words, I needed to be more tolerant of Urban keeping his secrets.

Glass houses and all that.

Also, maybe how I felt when I realized Urban hadn’t shared encouraged me to commit to opening the door on my secret to Teague.

Urban turned back to me after finishing his transaction. “Happy New Year, Sheila.”

“Happy New Year to you, Urban.”