then””shellbeaofthingsrachelwas</p>
ssinguddling</p>
along.</p>
”butifsheisntorifshedoesntilaweek</p>
beforethepaintingsarentdone.sheabout</p>
that.ithinkyoualkhben.”</p>
”ben””benahegallery.hestheoneup</p>
thesho.</p>
theyvebeendating,”sheaddedgly,heithought.”well,youare</p>
divorced.youdidntexpectthatshedsitarounddoingnothing,did</p>
youyoudate.doesjillsayaboutyourbeingdownhere”</p>
”jilluandsthatihaveresponsibilities,”hesaid.atleast,</p>
heassudthatsheuood.heohercall.heowedher</p>
lotsofothercalls.</p>
”bensellsreofhananyofthealleriesdo.hes</p>
givingherasoloshopressed.</p>
”anthaasked.”thisisthe</p>
onlysoloslothehasfornths.shereallyedit.dowe</p>
do”hefeltatheloadheheld.hisshoulders</p>
ached.thebrihisarartingtoteeter.”illtalk</p>
hben,”hesaidandtuckedthethoughtakbehindagrowing</p>
needforrachelto.</p>
thethoughtdidntstaytuckedathe</p>
hospitalhegirlsarrived.hehadaubuhairand</p>
dglasses,anaveragelookingnhregardtoheight,</p>
,andpresenertainlynotoohtheeyewhenhe</p>
enteredarooertainlynottheoffbeatpersonalityjackwouldhave</p>
guessedrachelhoughtjackwas</p>
iveben,butitworkedfor</p>
hi</p>
beteshirt,lytuckedintotailrayslacks,</p>
andthereputationofthegallery,jackguessedhehadtobecapable</p>
enough.</p>
theahingelse.everythingaboutherscread</p>
rebel,frohepinkstreaksinherhairtothehalfdozenearringsshe</p>
oherlayeredtanktopsandskinnyskirt.shewas</p>
clearlyanartist.jackguessedshehadnthitthirtyyet.hehadher</p>
peggedasthesculptressinrachelsbookgroupevenbeforetheywere</p>
introduced.</p>
benhe</p>
introdusbutquiusedonrachel.herfaceeful,</p>
pale,andstill.thetinykishehadntved</p>
sincehehadseenherlast.</p>
hetouadehieel</p>
better,asthoughhehadeveryrightihere.</p>
thegirls,staringatrachel,uohope,athis</p>
elbototellheryoudidinschooltoday””i</p>
fluhtest,”santhaannouncedbeforehopeuldspeak.</p>
”didyou”jaanschoolwas</p>
suddenlyhisnce.</p>
hopeidlittlevoice,”shejust</p>
saidthattoseeifyhears.hi,y.its,hope.itill</p>
yluckyboots.”</p>
”thatissodu,”santhasaid.</p>
”itisnot.theykethinkaboutsundaynight.ibr></p>
untilsheduns.</p>
ihopeshesokay.”sheraisedfrightene</p>
...</p>