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“Not until you give ood food as directed by the vet, stuff that has the right balance of nutrients”

He ran Aspen’s tail through his fingers “That European guy? He was good, I liked him”

“You did?”

“Sure, he went over and above the call of duty seeing us that night Look at her tail now, it’s perfect, you’d never know What was his naot the vet docu it again, side-tracking her,himself too comfortable in that armchair “Matt, why are you here? Really? Besides the cat”

“The cat has two names, you said to me once You should use at least one”

Exasperation ood for ain like this, where I live, after everything that happened—”

“Do you love me?”

Her skin rippled all over, every inch of it That was thesay and she was expected to answer it Was he playing gas she’d said to hi her out of his Porsche? Her jaw quivered “Do you love me?”

“Do you need to ask?”

“Actually, yes You disappeared into nowhere teeks ago after telling et the fuck out of your stupid car Oh, and your life” She gestured with her hands that she aiting for an answer to that

“I’h her hair and sighed “Figures”

“I was stupid, a shit, a total fuck up around you Will that do?”

“There are souy now Not anymore”

“No, of course you’re not” She pushed herself up from the chair and crossed her arms over her chest—even he should be able to pick up on such blatant body language “I’m not an idiot, Matt, I’ve been down this bad behavior/remorse, baby-I-love-you-really route before with Stan and it sucks I won’t do it any you now that I’ve had so so don’t think you can outstay your welcoo”

He whistled through his teeth “Training, huh? You have been busy in the last couple of weeks”

“I thought it was necessary”

“Maybe you could give me your tutor’s nu kind of boring every day”