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Copyright This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. Copyright © by 2010 Nicholas Sparks All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Grand Central Publishing Hachette Book Group 237 Park Avenue New York, NY 10017 Visit our website at www.HachetteBookGroup.com. www.twitter.com/grandcentralpub. First eBook Edition: September 2010 Grand Central Publishing is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc. The Grand Central Publishing name and logo is a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc. ISBN: 978-0-446-57424-2
In loving memory of Paul and Adrienne Cote. My wonderful family. I miss you both already. Acknowledgments At the completion of every novel, I always find myself reflecting on those people who’ve helped me along the way. As always, the list begins with my wife, Cathy, who not only has to put up with the creative moodiness that sometimes plagues me as a writer, but has lived through a very challenging year, one in which she lost both her parents. I love you and wish there were something I could have done to lessen the loss you feel. My heart is with you. I’d also like to thank my children—Miles, Ryan, Landon, Lexie, and Savannah. Miles is off in college, my youngest are in the third grade, and watching all of them grow is always a source of joy. My agent, Theresa Park, always deserves my thanks for all she does to help me write the best novel I possibly can. I’m lucky to work with you. Ditto for Jamie Raab, my editor. She’s taught me much about writing, and I’m thankful for her presence in my life. Denise DiNovi, my Hollywood friend and producer of a number of my films, has been a source of joy and friendship over the years. Thank you for all you’ve done for me. David Young, the CEO of Hachette Book Group, is both smart and terrific. Thanks for tolerating the fact that I’m endlessly late on delivering my manuscripts.
Page 4 and 5: Howie Sanders and Keya Khayatian, m
Page 6 and 7: Katie scanned her tables, running t
Page 8 and 9: “Oh,” Katie said. She started a
Page 10 and 11: attractive and happy, and she felt
Page 12 and 13: “I don’t think he did, either.
Page 14 and 15: neighbor who asks for that kind of
Page 16 and 17: “Yes.” “Why on earth would yo
Page 18 and 19: mouth of the Cape Fear River, right
Page 20 and 21: the back room. He had three gasolin
Page 22 and 23: They’d been so young when they’
Page 24 and 25: junk food; he seldom saw such peopl
Page 26 and 27: checking out if she had a favorite
Page 28 and 29: Even more important than an item’
Page 30 and 31: “I know. But Vanessa gets cold so
Page 32 and 33: “Her name is Miss Katie,” Krist
Page 34 and 35: It wasn’t until both Josh and Ale
Page 36 and 37: “You don’t need to do that.”
Page 38 and 39: a break. I’ve been cleaning all m
Page 40 and 41: “Do you see these hands?” Jo sa
Page 42 and 43: “Then how about this? Ignore the
Page 44 and 45: “I love that little girl,” Jo s
Page 46 and 47: “I have to go to work in a little
Page 48 and 49: the best childhood? Yes, her parent
Page 50 and 51: She leaned closer, squinting. “A
Page 52 and 53:
6 As Katie shopped, Alex fiddled ar
Page 54 and 55:
Still, there was another way to esc
Page 56 and 57:
the water fighting to get inside. T
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ecause we’ll say that the reports
Page 60 and 61:
“Don’t get me wrong. I like Iva
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“You don’t have to do that.”
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drip and had already emptied it twi
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Katie propped the bottle between he
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sky was filled with stars. Katie po
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“Actually, I was thinking about m
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wouldn’t let her get a driver’s
Page 74 and 75:
“Did you hear anyone come up?”
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“Do you like it?” “Why did yo
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wouldn’t have known how to ask, b
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“Thank you.” “I mean it. And
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9 After getting back from the store
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“That’s fine,” she said, turn
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When he paused, he noticed the smil
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He nodded and turned back to Josh.
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She unfolded the plastic tablecloth
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He scratched at the label on his bo
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seemed to sense that it would make
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Josh started running, and when Kati
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He was quiet as he thought about he
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it didn’t matter. Even so, it too
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Off to the side, Kristen and Josh w
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12 Then what happened?” Jo was si
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“No, thank you. I need to sleep t
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He wished she would trust him with
Page 110 and 111:
storm rolling in. Or Kristen wander
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Parenting, Alex thought, could be e
Page 114 and 115:
The sound of Josh’s voice jarred
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For the next few minutes, she took
Page 118 and 119:
“You’re here early,” Alex sai
Page 120 and 121:
the porch, squinting in the brightn
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“I’ll take that as a yes.” Sh
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In her bedroom, she shortened the s
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16 The early evening sky was a pris
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She playfully slapped his shoulder.
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many times. And, he knew, it was ti
Page 132 and 133:
She thought about it. “That means
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He cut another piece with his fork.
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“I should probably start cleaning
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than that, she wanted him to love t
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Her appointment was at two with a w
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“Yes.” “He’s got a nice car
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Rachel came back and checked on her
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The girl wrote it up. Kevin would c
Page 148 and 149:
her in the grocery store. Instead,
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quarter of the cucumber before wrap
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the pain shooting through her legs
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He took a step toward her. “You
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In the bedroom, he was snoring with
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“But you didn’t need to know th
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and a Hawaiian-style shirt he’d b
Page 162 and 163:
Bill shrugged. “We’ll get you a
Page 164 and 165:
away, Kevin tossed the food into th
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he’d picked up from the Chinese r
Page 168 and 169:
ed-and-breakfast and a couple of re
Page 170 and 171:
He drank a third and fourth glass o
Page 172 and 173:
Since their dinner at her house, sh
Page 174 and 175:
Her expression was sad. “I love y
Page 176 and 177:
“You are special,” he said. “
Page 178 and 179:
“I was dead to the world last nig
Page 180 and 181:
Erin had been following the news bu
Page 182 and 183:
She had learned to hate winter, wit
Page 184 and 185:
“Yes,” the representative said.
Page 186 and 187:
“I’ll make it anyway,” she sa
Page 188 and 189:
kneading and working it until it wa
Page 190 and 191:
“Yeah,” he grumbled. “Okay. I
Page 192 and 193:
area. The map indicated that she wa
Page 194 and 195:
She had run away twice before and s
Page 196 and 197:
No matter. He knew she was here. He
Page 198 and 199:
Actually more, Katie thought. “So
Page 200 and 201:
“Yes.” She nodded. “He’s to
Page 202 and 203:
24 Kevin Tierney didn’t go to Pro
Page 204 and 205:
He drove each and every road within
Page 206 and 207:
like her, he’d be able to find he
Page 208 and 209:
none of them remembered her. Buses
Page 210 and 211:
inging with it humidity heavy enoug
Page 212 and 213:
people in the store, so Alex didn
Page 214 and 215:
car in gear, turn signals, lights a
Page 216 and 217:
“And?” “You don’t look a da
Page 218 and 219:
gone, but he’d keep his mouth shu
Page 220 and 221:
His mother had screamed and cried f
Page 222 and 223:
Kevin nodded and shifted on his sto
Page 224 and 225:
Amber lived in an apartment a few b
Page 226 and 227:
his wife and she would never forgiv
Page 228 and 229:
“Why do I need a car?” She shru
Page 230 and 231:
feeling that something was wrong. J
Page 232 and 233:
“Then I won’t say anything.”
Page 234 and 235:
Now, Alex opened the envelope and p
Page 236 and 237:
Carly had told him to trust his ins
Page 238 and 239:
“I tried to… but she was pretty
Page 240 and 241:
Bill stared at him. “Tell me what
Page 242 and 243:
“Hey, it’s not my fault that th
Page 244 and 245:
He laughed and slipped his arm arou
Page 246 and 247:
“My neighbor.” Katie smiled, ge
Page 248 and 249:
Katie nodded. “And I love the kid
Page 250 and 251:
He stared at her. “Erin?” he fi
Page 252 and 253:
didn’t hurry and didn’t try to
Page 254 and 255:
She hadn’t wanted to take the ide
Page 256 and 257:
“You’re doing a good thing, you
Page 258 and 259:
He used the towel on his arms, dabb
Page 260 and 261:
He paused, waiting for her to say s
Page 262 and 263:
town was small. It took him less th
Page 264 and 265:
marriage, nothing had changed. She
Page 266 and 267:
“It’s going to be okay,” she
Page 268 and 269:
Talking to Jo had helped, she thoug
Page 270 and 271:
She leaned into him and breathed in
Page 272 and 273:
again, scanning the area. The trees
Page 274 and 275:
used to do. He silently approached
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one of the local restaurants, eatin
Page 278 and 279:
that, too. Laughing and laughing at
Page 280 and 281:
emembered that she used to do the s
Page 282 and 283:
Now she stood beside him, smiling u
Page 284 and 285:
egular spot. On the way out, Alex b
Page 286 and 287:
done for her and the sacrifices he
Page 288 and 289:
prostitute, selling her soul for lu
Page 290 and 291:
they weren’t aware that any of th
Page 292 and 293:
touch. Little things—red stitchin
Page 294 and 295:
way. She wanted to feel his body ag
Page 296 and 297:
of the cottage and got out. A hawk
Page 298 and 299:
He pulled into the lot, fighting to
Page 300 and 301:
and keep a tidy, if imperfect, hous
Page 302 and 303:
He was an angel of the Lord. Erin h
Page 304 and 305:
eached for two of them. He brought
Page 306 and 307:
He felt the rage well up inside him
Page 308 and 309:
lighter fluid, motor oil, turpentin
Page 310 and 311:
into cloud banks that hadn’t been
Page 312 and 313:
had been painted shut, probably yea
Page 314 and 315:
Her words were swallowed by another
Page 316 and 317:
smiled as she took a step forward.
Page 318 and 319:
He noticed movement on the side of
Page 320 and 321:
keep her in sight. She was trying t
Page 322 and 323:
He wanted so much to sleep. He need
Page 324 and 325:
Kevin heard the satisfying thud of
Page 326 and 327:
He felt the barrel graze his finger
Page 328 and 329:
wild eyes. Somehow, he’d tracked
Page 330 and 331:
complained of a monstrous headache,
Page 332 and 333:
“Not everything,” he said. “N
Page 334 and 335:
42 After dropping Alex off at Joyce
Page 336 and 337:
But Jo’s glass had been untouched
Page 338 and 339:
made him up, too. And Kristen and J
Page 340 and 341:
It looked like Jo, she suddenly rea
Page 342 and 343:
that I’ll be nothing but a distan
Page 344:
Outside, the moon was a brilliant w
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