"Awe," she said, reaching over to cover his hand with hers and give it a squeeze, "aren't you sweet. But no, sugar. He ain't done a thing wrong. I got the feeling he'd... he and I- or not I, exactly, but you know what I mean- there's some real history there. Not just the back and forth teasing and flirting and disappointment version I got, either, but. Something real."

And that hurt, too, as much as anything. Maybe more than.

"So 'm sure this is screwing with his head something awful, as bad as it is mine. Go easy."