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"You didn’t have to do that" I stepped back out onto the street, giving the pizza box suspicious glances

"It’s just pizza, Ev," he said "Relax You don’t even have to ask me to share it with you if you don’t want Which way is it to your place from here?"

"Left"

We walked another block in silence with David carrying the pizza box up high on one hand

"Stop frowning," he said "When I picked you up last night you were lighter than in Monterey You’ve lost weight"

I shrugged Not going there Definitely not re around him and how badly I’d missed him and the sound of his voice as he--

"Yeah, well, I liked you the way you were," he said "I love your curves So I ca pizza with fifteen cheeses on it until you’ve got the snarky about how ht twice about saying that, huh? Especially since you let ht" He met my scoith one of his own "Look, I just don’t want you losing weight and getting sick, especially not onthe pizza dirty looks or you’ll hurt its feelings"

"You’re not the boss of h "You feel better for saying that?"

"Yes"

I gave hiain felt too easy I shouldn’t get coain blow up in my face? But the truth was, I wanted him there so bad it hurt

"Ba--" He cleared his throat and tried again, without the sentiment that would have earned hiain?"

"I don’t know"

He shook his head "We’re friends Ev, you’re sad, you’re tired, and you’ve lost weight, and I fucking hate that I’ht with you one step at a tiive me a little room to maneuver here I promise I won’t step on your toes too badly"

"I don’t trust you any sonna talk about that"

I sed hard against the lump in my throat

"When you’re ready," he reiterated "Coet you home so you can eat this while it’s still hot"

We walked the rest of the way hoave enuine

He tra to look around I’d forgotten he’d been here last night when he got my whereabouts from Lauren I unlocked the door and took a peek inside, still scarred fro Lauren and oing to work long ter their own space

The last iven us a chance to talk We were closer than we’d ever been He loved his job at the ht, he’d changed My brother had figured out what he wanted and where he belonged Now if I could just get ether and do the same

Rock music played softly and Nate and Lauren danced in the iven reasy work clothes Lauren didn’t see into his eyes

I cleared my throat to announce our arrival and stepped into the roo smile But then he saw David Blood suffused his face and his eyes changed The temperature in the roorab for hied David

"Shit" Lauren ran after him "No!"

Nate’s fist connected with David’s face The pizza went flying David stu asshole,"to wrestle hi He covered his bloody face but oing to fucking kill you for hurting her," Nate roared

David just looked at hied at the floor, my arms wrapped around my brother’s windpipe

"You want hi serious?" Then he looked at Lauren tugging at his ar?"

"This is between them, Nate"

"What? No! You sahat he did to her What she’s been like for the last month"

"You need to calm down She doesn’t want this" Lauren hands patted over his face "Please, babe This isn’t you"