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My stomach plunged onto the icy cobblestone.

Beck lifted both hands, speaking softly. “And I’m not judging. At all. Just wanted to check in and see what was going on before I jumped to conclusions.”

“It’s not what it looked like,” I said. “We were watching a movie and fell asleep.”

“I see.” Beck nodded sagely. “Completely innocent.”

“That’s right. We’re just pals.”

“Yes. Pals. Okay.”

I shoved my elbow into his side. “That’s the truth.”

“I believe you.” He was quiet for a second. “It’s just that … I’ve noticed how you look at her. And you get this weird tone to your voice when you talk about her.”

I didn’t say anything. People thought my reticence was only shyness. That was part of it, but I’d also learned that, the less one talked, the more one learned.

“But you’d never go there because of Jack,” Beck said.

Not a question.

“You remember what he told us all those years ago,” I said. “His sister was off-limits.”

“Sure, I remember. That was a long time ago, though,” Beck said. “If you have feelings for her, I wouldn’t let Jack get in the way. Just talk to him. Get his blessing.”

“He won’t give it,” I said.

“Why do you say that?”

“I just do. And Knox’ll be all grumpy about it too. You know, the integrity of the band and all that. Rhett, too, would warn me against it. And they’d all be right. What happens if we did get together and then broke up? Disaster.”

“What if you didn’t. Break up.”

“Everyone breaks up.”

“That’s not true. Jack and Ivy are getting married.”

“Totally different. Those two knew the moment they met each other.”

“You’ve felt this way for a while, haven’t you?” Beck asked. “Since that Thanksgiving we all hung out at Jack’s.”

“How did you know that?”

“I notice stuff.”

That was the truth.

“We hit it off that weekend, but I didn’t stay in touch after that,” I said. “Too risky.”

“Does she know how you feel?” Beck asked.

“I don’t think so.”

“She looks at you too. In that same way you look at her. Just not at the same time.”

I sat with that for a moment. Across the way, I spotted Rhett and Holly at Helen’s booth. Rhett had a red scarf in hand and was in the process of wrapping it around Holly’s neck. They looked like a happy couple.

What was happening to us?