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And then the piano music stops and I hear Stormy call out, "Lara Jean? Lara Jean, where are you? Come out from behind the table I want to introduce you to so aton his shirt collar like it’s choking hi a safe distance Don’t want to spook him

Stormy claps her hands "You two know each other?"

John says, "We’re friends, Grandhborhood"

"Storrandson she wanted to sethorandson looks like a young Robert Redford He does; he really does

"She’s e," John says

Stormy’s eyes dart around the rooreat-anything"

John lowers his voice "She was randpa’s second wife"

"My favorite of all my husbands," Stormy says "May he rest in peace, that old buzzard" She looks fro me a vodka soda with lots of lemons" She sits back at the piano bench and starts to play "When I Fall in Love"

John starts toward ht there, John Ambrose McClaren Do you havewho I have" He pauses "Wait a minute Do you have mine?"

I shake my head, innocent as a little lost la Stormy’s drink I know just how she likes it I drop in three ice cubes, an eight-second pour of vodka, and a splash of soda water Then I squeeze three le out the glass

"You can put it on the table," he says

"John! I’ you, I don’t have your nalass back down "I can’t believe you don’t believekind of person who sees the good in people"

Sober as a judge, John says, "Juststay on your side of the table"

Shoot How am I supposed to take hiht?

Airily I say, "Fine by me I don’t know if I believe you, either, so! Iup here"