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Clarke ran her finger through her hair and let out a long breath She tried to loosen up her shoulders and failed "He's hit on otten to the point of feeling harassed" She said the last word loud enough so that others could hear She saw Vince get a nervous look for a second before digging into soot

"Shouldn't you be flattered? I wouldn't ed and popped another cracker in his mouth "So, what is it that I need to know about this dinner or yourabout?"

As if she wasn't already upset and annoyed enough, how casual he was being about the whole thing just made her feel like she was about to have a nervous breakdown "Look, I gave you an out, and you're still welcome to take it if you can't take this seriously"

"Clarke, I can tell this is a source of a lot of negative feelings for you, but if we're going to be pretending to date, then you're going to have to learn to relax and let go just a little and do so a little more care free and less planned once in a while"

She was about to snap at hiain, but it wasn't really hier, and he'd coive him the benefit of the doubt "Fine I'm sorry It's just that for the last 33 years she's beenme feel inadequate, and she'll tear you down just the same if we aren't ready for this"

"She's really hurt you, hasn't she? And yet you still care what she thinks It's funny how that works, isn't it?" She nodded at his statement It was her harsh reality "So, what's so bad about her?"

"Nothing's good enough, and she doesn't believe I'ht the shop would prove her wrong, but it hasn't so far" Clarke shrugged "Anyway, she's a lawyer and is all about perfection and arguing the winning side and all that She has h society friends over the years, but don't ask oes to these parties with them They're really formal and stuffy with lots of weird and expensive food and banter about money and vacation ho about their accomplishments She tends to co some thinly veiled insults passed across the table Anyway, I think she invited you because she was calling my bluff She knows I don't really date like that She wants to expose us in front of everyone somehow; make one of us break and tell the truth maybe"