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Show Woodworth/91 to work with this guy, after all. "Wanna go down to the waterfront now?" he asks her- "Sure," she says, and he helps her up. They walk side by side, and his shoulder brushes against her. "I hope that doesn't bother you, what I told you about my wife and I," he says. "I guess that's between you and her," Marty says. "You don't think that it has anything to do with you?" "Well, no. Should it?" "It could." They walk for a minute in silence, Marty trying to decide if she is supposed to press him further. "I mean, it could. If something developed between you and me." Her stomach lurches, and she is afraid that he is teasing her. But when she looks sideways at him, she notices that he is looking at the sidewalk; he hasn't tried to meet her eyes, either- "If something developed between you and me?" she repeats. "I mean, I do love Karen. Our relationship is pretty solid." "Oh," she says, wondering what it is he wants her to say. "But it's pretty platonic." "I told .you. I understand,'.' she says. "Ok. I just wanted to be sure. And to know that you didn't think it was going to lead to anything. You know." "No. I understand." Marty remembers Rachael saying, "It's a nice way to spend the summer." She can always break it off if she wants to. It can be her secret, her own life. They walk out to the end of Lewis Wharf. The same ship is still tied there, hammering still coming from inside. "Look," Gary says, and points up the mast to where people are climbing in the cross-ties, picking at the rigging. "God, I'd be terrified to climb around up there like that." ^r*guess you'd'glK used to it." |