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He runs a hand behind his neck and nods

"He is mine, by the way Jake is If he’s yours, then he’shis arm over my shoulders

"Where did he co I’ my bounds

"Well, Everly, when two adults take their clothing off, and the male adult sticks a part of his body into the fe "You knohat Iback and pinching the bridge of his nose briefly "We dated It was…" He pauses, thinking "It wasn’t serious She was convenient forbrutally honest And I was an opportunity for her"

"An opportunity how?" I ask, not liking the word

"She embezzled five million dollars froht onto thefunds" He shakes his head "I can only assunant when she left, because Jake would have been a iven her everything for hi the carousel, his knuckles white

"But instead she disappeared and changed her na to coes against her being dropped I don’t know and she’s not cooperating"

"But she’s in prison?" I clarify

He nods, sot caught on identity theft and tax evasion They haven’t even added her sentence for the embezzlement yet Embezzlements, I should say I wasn’t the only one"

"I’m sorry," I tell hi I can say to lessen it

"The worst part is, I don’t think she even wanted hiether, she only ever spent a feeeks at a ti for her next h I can’t understand any of that

"I didn’t want him either" He says it softly, and I look up, surprised "At first, e realized there was this kid, and the ti up to indicate that he was ative " His lips twist ruefully "And then I ine how I’d lived even a day without him"

The carousel stops and alk hand in hand to the exit, Jake flying out with a smile on his face

"He’s exactly where he should be, Sawyer"

Fifty

The folloeekend we take him to a paint-your-own-pottery place When I arrive at Sawyer’s I find ablonde nanny I spotted with him the week before I ask Sawyer about it and he explains that Vanessa was one of several nannies and only agreed to come to Philadelphia for a couple of weeks while Alice ton

"Thank fuck" I sigh in relief

Sawyer raises his eyebrow so I elaborate "Look, I’ve been , attractive assistant But a beautiful young wo the lienerous nature"

"You were jealous of Vanessa?" Hismy lip in pretend concentration "Yes"