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"No, this is a hands under her thighs She still couldn’t believe this was happening Twentythe cotton balls fro froe silk blouse she’d gotten in A open the front door There was Ezra, the guy she’d pined after for so long, the guy she was sure was her soulwith his arms outstretched "I’ve missed you so ht away"

"But I wrote to you forrooted to her spot on the porch

Ezra had looked stricken, saying he’d never received any correspondence from her He added that his eo, and it had taken his sorted out--otten lost in the ether Noruy excuse, but Ezra looked so apologetic that she believed him

Then, Ezra had scooped her up in his aren Beetle, which was parked at the curb, and told her he wanted to take her out on a date--right then and there--to reed

Now, they were at St Mary’s Creek, a beautiful old park along a glittering strea boulders, mini waterfalls, and a quaint bed-and-breakfast that served the best pancakes in all of the Main Line Even though the weather was a pleasant fifty-so or a hike, there wasn’t a single other person around

Ezra popped the cha" His wolfish blue eyes rose to hers "I’ve been thinking about you soplans for us to see each other again Especially after all that happened with your friend I wanted to reach out to you, but I didn’t know if you wanted to hear from me"

"I would have loved to hear fro it with all her heart "And you look aray checked blazer had a hole in the elbow, the white button-dorinkled, and his chinos were frayed at the heed, too, and there were hollows in his cheeks He was still adorable, but he looked like he’d spent hours in the car "You didn’t drive all the way from Rhode Island just to seein Rhode Island, though I would have driven froet in barbecue sauce and popped it in his mouth "I stayed there for a little while, but then I moved to New York City"

"Oh!" Aria couldn’t temper her excitement "Do you like it there? I applied to a bunch of schools in New York"

"I love it" Ezra got a dreamy look on his face "I have this tiny apartht I watch the cars strea around so many different people at once"

"That’s exactly how I feel about New York, too," Aria gushed, loving how she and Ezra were always on the sa there" Ezra took Aria’s hands Touching hi into an old, cozy house "Maybe you could coes you applied to"

Aria stared down at his big hands in hers, utterly speechless She half expected to hear the far-off giggle she associated with A, but all she heard were tweeting birds and the rushing stream

She , because Ezra pulled his hands away "God I’m an idiot You don’t have a boyfriend, do you?"

"No!" Aria shook her head eh, while you were gone It’s not like I knew you were coh

"Let uess Noel Kahn?"

Aria’s mouth dropped open "How did you know?"

Ezra chuckled "He had it bad for you in English class"

"We didn’t have thatat a silvery fish swiirlfriend, right?"

A smile spread across Ezra’s face He cupped Aria’s chin in his hands "Of course I don’t Why else would I co are you staying?"

"How long do you want me to stay?"

Forever, Aria wanted to say

"I’ with a friend outside town He says I can stay as long as I like" Ezra pushed a piece of Aria’s hair behind her ears "Tellon with you How’s your fa? And what did you mean in your email when you said you felt lonely? Are you okay?"

Aria pressed her hand to her chest, touched by his interest and concern "I’ it "Actually, I’d rather hear about you first What are you doing in New York? Going to grad school? Do you have a job? I bet it’s so fabulous"

Ezra’s throat bobbed "Well, I did have a job at a nonprofit for a while, but then I was laid off So after that" A bloo And, well, I wrote a novel"

"A novel?" Aria’s jaw dropped "As in a cohed bashfully "That’s right But I don’t kno good it is"

"I’!" Aria clapped "What’s it about? When’s it going to be published?"

"Let’s not get ahead of ourselves" Ezra glanced at his backpack, which sat behind them on the rock "But if you’re interested, I have the manuscript"