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We smiled happily at each other and headed to her friends’ house

We alking Frankie and Estella’s dogs, twin black labs, in their busy neighborhood park a few days later, and I’d just said so, (in a pretty off-handed way, it should be noted) that I’d soon regret, only I didn’t know it yet

Iris gave me one of those mysterious looks that drove htful and a touch of so that eluded e?" she was asking me

Had I said that? I supposed I had And I supposed I still believed it, though that didn’t hed

She had no intention of letting it go

"Have you talked to any twenty-year-old boys lately, Dair?"

I tried to change the subject I hadn’t liked it, anyway "Are you saying you’re twenty now?"

"You’re avoiding the question Do you think I should be with soain "Yes of course I’ve told you this"

"And you want to be with soe?" Her tone was so idle that I didn’t hesitate to answer

"I certainly think that would be h with my words?

Fuck no Not with any of them

I just felt the need to say them They were the most rudimentary form of lip service A sop to , she nodded and started looking around the park

"Why? Why did you just ask rapher friend of yours is very beautiful"

"She is" Though I was trying to recall when Iris could have gotten a good look at her, and came up blank

"And into you On your coffee date, she leaned in your direction, and laughed a lot That’s got to be a good sign Does she know aboutjust how much Iris must have either spied on me, or had sohteous outrage, but too many conflicted emotions made it hard to forone out for coffee with another wo by her nonchalant tone

"I’ll take that as a no Do you think she’s interested in you?"

This was strange for her, and bad for me To say she wasn’t the jealous type was the understate into what, for a nor