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She wondered if she should try the side door She could sneak in and see if she spotted the rest, but Kate called earlier and said everyone was running late Dani came a bit later than she had planned Kate instructed her to look around the beer gardens first The group was going to congregate there before going through the aniardens alone, but looking around--"Hey"

Jake was behind her, dressed in a blue polo and jeans His hair et, and he ran a hand through the wet locks He was dressed for the evening, but that wasn’t whom she saw He held a confused look in his eyes, like he was still wondering if she was staying or going and Dani didn’t think it was about being at the beer gardens His shoulders slumped forward, he put his hands in his pockets In that moment, she saw the little boy who’d been her best friend The boy who always shuffled behind her, kicking rocks ahead with his hands stuffed in his front pockets

She felt an ache at thein there?"

"Thinking about it"

"Yeah Me, too" He itched behind his ear "Look, You and Jonah--you two are so opposite I just…it kinda spun ht of you with someone else I know lots of years have passed, and realistically you’ve probably been with other guys, but it feels like we just broke up last week I don’t know if that one the next day I didn’t have time to…"

"Adjust"

"Yeah"

"I’m not here to take you away from my sister"

"I know"

Did he? Because she didn’t want to deal with hi to her sister so she thought that, too Good gracious She had enough on her plate She studied him a moment, but didn’t push it She supposed that was an issue she’d have to wait and see how it played out, and hearing an outburst of laughter, she gestured behind her "I think…"

"Okay Yeah" Jake nodded as he stayed put

"You’re not coht for a little while"