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Feeling like an ass that he’d sounded nearly panicked, he backpedaled, trying to make up for it now "I don’t want you think that I wouldn’t want to this soon if we could afford to, okay? It’s just that…well I thought thatalready?"

Vince couldn’tor upset "No, that’s not what I was gonna say And if you were that wouldn’t be a bad thing, but right now…"

She finally laughed softly,Vince exhale in relief "Relax, Vincent Maybe I should’ve et the idea that I was apart to stick his foot in his ht about what to say next There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment Moments like this were unusual for them, and he didn’t like it

She cleared her throat and spoke before he did "Listen there was so else I wanted to talk to you about"

Grateful for the change in subject, he didn’t care what the subject was until he heard what it was "It’s about Ben"

Rose’s prom date had only come up one other time after that day at the park She’d told Vince that he texted her Her friend Candace had given hiuy had texted her a few times before she mentioned it to Vincent She explained that the only reason she hadn’t ht be one or two casual texts, but he’d sent her a longer one asking more personal stuff about Rose and her new boyfriend She finally responded that she didn’t feel co about it, nor did she think Vince would like the jackass texting her Da to his texts, and they’d since lessened, until they stopped all together

Feeling the immediate annoyance, he slowed his pace "What about hiht"

This was exactly what Vince had been worried about when he’d gone back home after su like this was enough to have hi he shouldn’t

Rose had gone to a party with her friends the night before, and afterwards there’d been a bonfire at the beach Vince hadn’t been able to make it out at the last h he wasn’t thrilled about it, he said he was okay with her going without him He was actually a little surprised that she’d still want to, but he bit his tongue when she said she’d go so her friend Candace wouldn’t feel like a third wheel there with just Alison and her boyfriend

"Candace didn’t even mention that she’d told Ben about the party and bonfire until ere at the beach" Rose’s tone was forewarning "I wasn’t even aware she and Ben were still talking She hadn’t brought hiet Vince hot "So you hung out with him?"

"No Candace did, but she was around us, so--"

"So you hung out with hier a question but a statement that came outto me? He was there but not for me We barely talked"

This was bullshit She’d spent tiht: the very assle that had looked at her and groaned like he wanted to eat Rose up But because her friends were there, she was trying make is sound like she hadn’t

"The only reason I’ to be hanging out ain Ben doesn’t do relationships, but he’ll hang out with her as long as she’s okay with just having a good ti more I don’t want this to co froht? He told you he doesn’t do relationships? When did this conversation happen?"

She exhaled loudly pushing Vince’s annoyance level that oes back to high school It’s why he asked me to the prom in the first place Everyone kneere just friends, and he wanted it that way He didn’t want any of hisfavorites, so he ith a friend--someone he’d never been with that way and never would" She paused then repeated "Never would, Vincent He knows even if I didn’t have a boyfriend, thatmore than a friendship Even before I met you, I could never be with someone like him"

Vincent took that last stateirl, and she’d never given hi the way Ben had so blatantly ogled her and then how he’d tried to sneak in a hug still pissed hiain?" There was a moment of silence, and Vince could feel the hair on the back of neck begin to rise "Did he, Rose?"

"Hmm"

"Is that a yes?" The hair on his neck was at full attention now

"Yes," she whispered

Vince squeezed the phone, already knowing the answer just from the way her voice dropped to a whisper, but he still had to ask, "And you let hied everyone"