ting through old notebooks, when she heard the f

ne long. Ric

eak out, or come to the window, ready to cater to

gnore

ain, more

w, not to answer his

oak tree at the edge of the

up with that possessive, con

g enough. Come on d

st looke

busy,

ah, don' t be like this." He tr

u, Rick. We

you? Is it because of this college thing?

, Rick. And I do

his eyes, the one that alway

et about something. Did I forget an ann

ing to remember, the effort furrow

rget, Rick. We' re over.

he bluntness,

s gonna... who' s gonna help me with my resume f

r, or rather, she breaks up with him, and his

Rick. Or ask Brenda. I hea

e him flush. "What' s Br

, Rick. She

ke me jealous, it' s not working. We' re good together.

ah said, her voice sharp. "You

ned. "What? You

e. I' m not feeli

mily' s hospitality, eating their food, borrowing mo

is voice turning ugly. "All thos

be honest, Rick. You owe me. For starters, there' s the fifty bucks you 'borr

ed. "That' s... that' s d

yment. It' s been a m

of it, after a lifetime of his finan

e it right now

b that pays, huh? Maybe that tire pla

ht have yelled, maybe even thrown something. He' d never hit her,

rah," he spat. "You' ll come

ld your bre

d to close

"What about the graduation party at Miller' s Pond on Satu

recall. Anyway, I

ow shut, cutting off

r heart beating a little faster

d. So incre

found her on the porch swing, looki

, his presence qu

s marching orders," he

ed. "Long

ustered. Small town, you

ah said. "I don'

ing about that summer job opening at Henderson' s garage, the one Mark

ened. Rick, trying to

Peterson couldn' t find a spark plug if it was handed to him on a silver platter, but his

r father, tears we

nks,

u always deserved better, Sarah-gir

uldn' t let anyone, especially not Rick Peterson,