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"Hi" Ezra half rose, extended his hand, and gave Klaudia a much kindlier smile than Aria would have liked "I’e student fro Ezra’s hand, Klaudia leaned down and kissed him on both cheeks, European-style Then she knitted her brow "Why I know you? Your name sound familiar"
"I was a teacher at Rosewood Day last year," Ezra offered in a friendly voice
"No, that not it" Klaudia shook her head,her ponytail wobble She squinted "You not Ezra Fitz rites the poetry, are you?"
Ezra looked startled "Well, I’ve only published one poen journal"
"Was it called ‘B-26’?" Klaudia’s eyes brightened
"Well, yeah" Ezra’s srew broader and more skeptical "You’veread that?"
"Se tytto, se laulu!" Klaudia quoted in melodic Finnish "Is beautiful! I have it pinned up on bedroolanced at Aria in an amazed way as if to say, Can you believe it? I have a fan! Aria wanted to smack him upside the head Didn’t he see that this was merely part of Klaudia’s sex kitten act? She’d never read his poetry--she’d probably seen his naled him!
"I’ve read that poe competitive "It was really beautiful"
"Oh, but it even prettier translated into Finnish," Klaudia insisted
A barista approached and Klaudia moved closer to Ezra to let him pass "I have alanted to be a writer, so this is very exciting for me to talk to a real published poet! Have you written other beautiful poetries?"
"I don’t kno beautiful they are," Ezra saidon a novel right now" He pointed at the manuscript that now sat on the ottoman next to them
"Oof!" Klaudia pressed her hand to her a! I hope to read it someday!"
"Well, actually, if you’re really interested" He placed the novel in Klaudia’s hands "I’d love to hear your thoughts"
"What?" Aria shrieked "She can’t read it!"
Klaudia’s eyes widened innocently Ezra cocked his head, looking stricken "Why not?" he asked, sounding hurt
"Because" Aria trailed off, trying to communicate with her eyes that Klaudia was a psychopath Because it’s my novel, not hers, she wanted to say, but she realized how petty and immature that sounded Still, the novel was so personal Aria didn’t want Klaudia reading it, knowing about the most important relationship of her life
Ezra waved his hand "It’s a rough draft," he said gently "I need asme feedback as I can" He turned to Klaudia and smiled "Maybe you’ll like it as much as ‘B-26’"
"I’m sure I love it!" Klaudia cradled theEzra a three-finger wave "Okay, I go now! Sorry I bother you! See you in school to back There was a slight, satisfied saze followed Klaudia as she sashayed out of the café and through the bookstore Aria reached for his hand again, but he squeezed only lightly and distractedly, like there were far irls--on his mind
Chapter 20
ALL LOVING FATHERS STICK THEIR DAUGHTERS IN TALL TOWERS
Mr Marin flung open the door to his house and greeted Hanna with a huge sed a Jack Spade duffel, stuffed with enough clothes for a three-night stay, over the threshold Then she picked up the little doggie carrier that held Dot, her miniature Dober him out of there?"
"No problem" Mr Marin bent over and unlocked the , which Hanna had dressed in a Chanel-logo sweater, immediately scuttled out of the carrier and ran crazily around the living roo
"Uch," a voice said Isabel, whose sallared at Dot as though he were a sewer rat "That thing doesn’t shed, does it?"
"No, he doesn’t," Hanna said in the most friendly voice she could muster "Perhaps you remember Dot from when you stayed in my house?"
"I suppose," Isabel said absently Isabel had been wary of Dot when she’d lived at Hanna’s when Ms Marin went to Singapore on business, wrinkling her nose when he lifted his leg on the trees in the backyard, pretending to gag when Hanna spooned organic doggie food into his cera away from him like he was about to bite her Hanna wished Dot would bite Isabel, but Dot loved everyone
"Well, we’re glad to have you," Isabel went on in a tone Hanna wasn’t sure was sincere