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“I heard about the wedding”
He looked at her in surprise
“Your mom told my mom They ran into each other at Hannaford’s” She rolled her eyes
He shook his head but said nothing
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry She’s clearly a fool”
“She isn’t, but thanks” He squeezed her hand He was going to withdraw, but it felt nice to hold her hand It felt familiar and comfortable and God knew that he needed comfort, so he kept it there
She smiled and sipped her coffee “I know this is a bad time I just wanted to let you know that I’ on his coffee cup
“Do you want to go to a ht now It’s too early to go to a movie now” Her cheeks pinked up as she searched Paul’s expression
“I don’t know” He released her hand and sat back in his chair
“I don’t want things to be weird between us We’ve been friends forever and we proan to score the sides of her coffee cup with her fingernail
“Things are just—difficult right now”
Allison scratched at the surface of the cup
“I’ I really want to be friends I know you’re busy and—stuff” She began ripping off s them neatly on the kitchen table
“Hey” Paul’s hand shot out across the table to catch hers mid-rip “Relax”
She looked into his eyes and saw acceptance and kindness She exhaled in relief
Paul withdrew his hand again, wrapping it around his cup
“We have a history and it’s a good one But I don’t want to ju with you It would be too easy to do that”
“I’ve never been easy, Paul” She sounded offended
He cleared his throat and looked her straight in the eye “I never said you were What I o back to e had because it was comfortable You deserve to be with someone who’s serious and not half in it”
Paul lost hi that Allison aiting for so So are we on for a ht even take you to dinner at Leunig’s, now that I’ bucks as a teacher”
Paul found hienuine
“Only if you let me take you to breakfast at Mirabelle’s”
“Great When?”
“Get your coat”
He followed her to the back door and helped her with her coat When she nearly toppled over trying to put her Uggs back on, he knelt on the sandy, salt-licked floor and slid them on her feet
“Half of you is better than the whole of anyone,” she whispered, if only to herself
Chapter Fourteen