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She totally understood that She was having a hard tiaaze moved over her head She spotted Taylor still at the bar

Anna grabbed her arain "He asked about you, Julia"

"What?"

She nodded "He asked ‘as the beautiful wo to earlier’ and that was you That was no one else And that hy he sought rinned "And I’m okay with that You knohy?"

Julia could barely process any of this "Why?"

"Because he’s interested in you and this is your last night in this town, so you will go wherever he wants and do whatever he wants Like anything" She leaned in, lowering her voice "Even anal ’Cuz I’d allow that Oh yeah"

"Oh hed "You’re insane I don’t even know him--"

"My sweet summer child," she said, and Julia frowned "You don’t need to know hiet doith hiood-looking he is, and the whole ti you from across the bar"

He had been? "Thisthis can’t be real"

"It is Julia, I know you’ve had a dry spell--a really long dry spell--and your ex was an ass, but it’s tis wide and fly free, baby This man, this sexy man is--"

"Stop" Her heart ju across the floor "He’s co back"

Anna clamped her mouth shut, but eyed her in the way that said she would never forgive her if she soet a chance to really think any of this through, because Taylor was stepping around Anna, handing Julia a drink that smelled fruity

"I’ainst the table "I orried you were going to run off"

"No," she said, glancing at Anna quite helplessly

"Yeah," he replied, grinning

What was she supposed to say now? Or do? Thank God, she’d changed into a cute black dress, one with an empire waist and sleeves that reached her elbow It was an old dress, but one she always felt good in Now, if she’d only had the foresight to wear so other than the cotton panties that had skulls on theuy was not seeing her skull-covered panties

Julia saw Anna back away slowly, leaving the her drink, she searched for a response that didn’t make her sound half stupid "Why would you think that?"

That was the best she could co those a eyes "You look half afraid"

Her cheeks flushed once more "Is it that obvious?"

"So you’re afraid?" he asked, lifting the bottle of beer to his mouth

Didn’t seem possible, but she flushed even more "I wouldn’t say I’m afraid Justjust surprised"

"I have no idea why you’d be surprised," he replied, then took a drink "I noticed you the moment I came in I’"

Okay

This guy was good, real good With the way he said that, it sounded like the truth Flattery usually didn’t work on her, but coht "That’s sweet of you," she said, and then took a long drink of whatever the hell she’d ordered