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I had never been so thrilled to babysit in h an entire e

Chapter Twenty-One

Puppy Love

I looked nervously around a to be as easy as I assuht

With a defeated sigh, I slumped down on the couch and pulled outa number from my favorites list

"Hello," Hilary answered in her usual cheerful voice

"Hey, I need your help," I said, shifting and tossing my feet up on the other side of the couch as I stretched out "I’ Oliver in like twenty an said he won’t be back till aftertoday with your mother?"

"Yeah, I’ll tell you all about that later" I chuckled "So, any helpful suggestions with Oliver?"

"It’s your lucky day, Miss Cassandra" Her voice sang "The town’s annual Christmas in the Park starts at three"

I sat up a little, hopeful "Any idea what they’re showing this year?"

"Kids classics like every year, until sunset"

"Perfect" I grinned, relieved "You want to meet us there?"

"Only if I can ask Caleb to join us"

"Yeah, of course I talked with hiood"

I had met with Caleb a couple days after he showed up attexts were too much to take, so I met him for lunch at Haven After a nicea psychopath, we hugged it out It was ienuinely was full of concern and regret

With a quick good-bye to Hilary, after agreeing toup and tossed my phone across the couch A second later, there was a knock onI stopped at the s an, I rerabbed the handle and opened the door

My sht-red hair, standing onin, I noticed a large box at his feet The bright-blue shirt he wore featured the i snake wrapped around text that was too worn to read

"Are you Cassandra Clarke?" he asked, staring down at the clipboard in his hand

"That’sthe siant X on the slip of paper, and then shoved the clipboard forward into my hands, followed by the pen

I shot hi e

"Who’s it fro it back to hireat day and wonderful holiday" He salutedquickly on his heel

I watched him climb back into his rusty old pickup and drive aith his stereo blasting soruripped each side, about to lift it when the box shifted Stu back, I stood there, unsure what to do Obviously, it was soet ed the box hoping to hear a sweethiss