“You made him feel special, Ryker…” Ryker smiles as he leans back on the arm of his couch, still holding my hand. “He is special, Natalie…he’s yours.”

“You comin’ or what?” Ryker returned. Layne glanced through Merry and Cal, nodded and followed Ryker. It would seem big, scary, badass, looking like a raving lunatic Ryker needed his BFF.Fuck.”

“Jesus, holy fuck,” Rivera murmured, coming to a quick halt and looking up at the tall, hulking, tattoo-sleeved Ryker. “Boy, what’d your Mama feed you growin’ up?” he asked. “Newborn babies,” Ryker answered, scowling down at Rivera.”

“He keeps doing that.” “What?” She laughs. “Kissing your forehead.” “Yeah . . . he does.” I can’t stop my grin. “Does it bother you? I can hear your smile, you know.” “Not really. It doesn’t, like, mean anything. It’s just . . . it’s Ryker.”

“He's gone," Sara said. "I can feel it. This time for good."Natalie hugged her, and she started to sob. Then Harry shattered the silence with a pained yell, hurling his thermos into the woods. With tears in his eyes, he said, "I want a drink."I hugged him fiercely. "It'll have to be one of my special chais, Harry. Have I made you a dirty one yet?""I want mine filthy," he said. We trudged back to the museum together, and toasted Coby with dirty vanilla chai lattes.”

“Do you think you're special, Perry?" he asked seriously.I winced. "A little bit. Maybe more in the Special Olympics kind of way." He smiled and turned his eyes to the road. "You are special, kiddo. ...And not entirely in the Special Olympics kind of way.”