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Chapter twenty - seven

"You and Caether,"at h we had been At the summer house one day just kind ofCa out for teeks before I realized it: He was kind of ether I didn't knohat I'd done before I'd

My mother said, "We miss you around the house" If Susannah had said it, I'd have been flattered, but fro It felt like recrimination And anyway, it wasn't like they'd been around so s, just the two of the this boy of yours to dinner toht?" Susannah askedno to Susannah was ih a divorce I couldn't say no So instead I said, "Ummaybe "

"Please, honey? I'd really like to ht, I'll ask I can't proh"

Susannah nodded serenely "As long as you ask"

Unfortunately for me, Cam didn't have plans

Susannah cooked; she ain, it was so I'd adave ers that night--he liked any excuse to use the grill, just like his dad He asked h I did

Conrad had already eaten and was upstairs playing his guitar He couldn't even be bothered to eat with us He caet a bottled water, and he didn't even say hello to Cam

"So why don't you eat er into his mouth

Ca animals"

Jeremiah nodded seriously "But Belly eats meat You let her kiss you with those lips?" Then he cracked up Susannah andkind of s hot, and I could feel how tense Calanced at e people who choose to eat meat It's a personal choice"

Jeremiah continued, "So you don't mind when her lips touch dead animal and then they touch your, uive the guy a break"

"Yeah, Jere, give the guy a break," I said, glaring at hih to make him flinch

"No, it's fine," Cam said "I don't mind at all In fact--" Then he pulled ht in front of everyone It was only a peck, but it was e

"Please don't kiss Belly at the dinner table," said Jere me nauseous"

My mother shook her head at him and said, "Belly's allowed to kiss "Then she pointed her fork at Ca like it was the funniest thing she'd ever said, and Susannah tried not to smile and told her to hush I wanted to kill my mother and then myself "Mom, please You're so not funny," I said "No more wine for Mom" I refused to look anywhere near Jeremiah's direction, or Cam's, for that matter