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They piled into Jack’s truck, giving Danny the whole backseat so he could sleep on the way hoh to see sohts on display in Griffith Park Once they hit the freeway, he was out

"He had a great tied into traffic, which was incredibly heavy even though it was past seven

"What about you? Did you have a good time?" he asked

"I did It was a nice day off I can’t remember the last time I stole a day to just have fun" Her feet ached froreat kid, Jessie You’re doing a wonderful job with hi son "He’s a great kid He adores you"

Jack s’s o, he’ll understand I can o Only if it’s really OK with you I sa he latched on to me, which I’m fine with, but if it bothers you, I’ll understand if you want me to keep my distance"

Jessie stared at Jack’s profile for a few seconds and considered his words "You really do get it, don’t you? The emotional toll of any relationship I may have with someone and how that can affect Danny?"

"Didn’t you tell s men in and out of your life?"

"Yeah, she does"

"Youfriends around Danny"

"I don’t bring ‘friends’ around Danny I can’t even tell you the last time I was on a real date I refuse to be , I’d probably have said no to the zoo today For the very reasons you bring up Danny isI can do about that other than try and keep hi attached and disappointed when things don’t work out"

Jack et into the carpool lane, and traffic flowed a little easier "I guess it’s a good thing we’re not dating, then"

"Right"

Later, Jack hoisted a snoozing Danny from the truck up onto his shoulder and let the poor tyke sleep while he walked hih the tidy living room and into Danny’s bedroom

Jack laid hied off his jeans Danny rip

Jessie kissed his forehead and led Jack back to the living room

A Christive it soht There were a couple presents under it, a few strands of lights giving it some life The apartment was tidy, but incredibly small How the three of them lived in such a compact place baffled him