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"Hoas it?" Moed "Kind of sad"

"How come?" Dad’s forehead creased

"I felt bad for the anio with you?" I didn’t honestly care I just wanted to know the answer toto ask it or call hi back?

"Nope, but he’ll be over in an hour," Daniel said "Mom, can he stay for dinner?" He winked at me behind my mother’s back

Thank you, Daniel

"How come you ask her and not me?" my dad asked

"Dad, can Noah stay for dinner?"

He cleared his throat "Doesn’t his own family want to spend some time with him?"

Daniel made a face "I don’t think so, actually"

"Who wants cookies?" Moed with my father as she opened the oven and the shed "It’s fine with me," he said, and handed me his cell "Go call him"

I backed slowly out of the kitchen, then raced to my bedroom I dialed Noah’s number

"Hello?"

His voice arm and rich and home and my eyes closed in relief at the sound of it "Hi," I said "I’m supposed to tell you that you’re invited for dinner"

"But?"

"Soet here?"

"I’ht now"

"Noah?"

"Yes?"

"Plan to spend the night"

19

AN HOUR LATER, NOAH STILL HADN’T SHOWN I was restless and didn’t want to be inrooe I had found in the garage I aiting for Noah, but there was no need to be obvious

"What goes on, little sister?"

"Nothing," I said, staring at the yellowed page

Daniel walked over to ht side up

Damn

"You had one heck of a day," he said softly

"I’ve had better," I said "And worse"

"You want to talk about it?"

I did, but I couldn’t Not to him I shook my head and clenched my teeth to hold back the ache in old-patterned armchair opposite me "Don’t worry about the key, by the way," he said casually