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"Just how old are you?"

"Twenty"

Willow cocked her head and gazed up at the ceiling like she was concentrating hard "But one day I’ll be twenty, and you’ll be thirty-four"

"And I’ll still be too old for you"

Her lips turned down in a pout "Don’t you want to be avelook

"Willow, it’s fine to pretend that Archer is your boyfriend for now But it’ll just have to be pretend, okay?"

"I guess so," she replied glumly

Both Archer and I froze at her sniffle Without a word, Annabel put her arm around Willow’s shoulder "Come on, sweetheart Let’s have a woman-to-woman talk about boyfriends" She then took Willow behind the table where the woathered, which I kneould feel safe to both her and Willow

Archer let out a lohistle "Son of a bitch She’s gonna be the death ofto put you to ground just because his daughter has a little crush"

With a shudder, Archer replied, "I just don’t want anyone thinking anything pervy about "

NoasI put h he was just seven years younger thanyears "You just keep acting the same way to Willow as you always have Next week she’ll have moved on to someone else"

"I sure as hell hope so"

I set some chili"

Whatever Annabel said to Willoorked like a charm, and she was back to her sunny self within minutes When they rejoined me, I leaned over to whisper into Annabel’s ear, "Thanks for doing that"

"I was glad to help" She cocked her head at e, it always hurts to be rejected," she said knowingly

I dropped aze to my bowl of chili, since it see at Annabel at thatdown the barrel of a shotgun The last thing I wanted to do was press thetension between us