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About us

"No, it doesn’t bother me"

"How can it not? How can they--"

I cut her off with a deep kiss--one hand holding the base of her neck, the other at the sainst me Then I tell her, "Let them have their fun Let them talk and plan their hearts out When the time comes, we’ll do whatever the hell ant anyway"

I pull her toward the back door "Now, let’s go for a walk You can let me into your boathouse"

"Is that a euphemism?"

I’m surprised she has to ask

"Yep"

17

My parents are on the boards of several charitable organizations, institutions, and societies whose goals are close to their hearts--feeding children in third-world countries, bestowing iPads to inner-city schools, protecting endangered plant life in the rain forest Fund-raisers--high-end parties that drum up donations for those endowments--are par for the course And sometimes my parents hit me up to stand in for them, to represent the Mason Foundation

That’s how Kennedy and I end up walking through the arched doors of the Sala supporting the creation of sustained clean drinking water in Africa The rooht and bright, festive swaths of cloth draped across the ceiling There’s a steady roar of chatter and laughter and the tinkling of cha ladies enjoy the in a short, body-hugging ice-blue nuives the impression the dress could just slip off her at anyto test that theory later on We have a drink and anizer and e, Calvin Van Der Woodsen, an old acquaintance of my father’s

After a few minutes, Calvin’s called away because the kitchen has run out of purple kale for the garnish And that’s when ain, cuz Didn’t expect to see you tonight"

"Louis" I nod

And he leers At Kennedy "Who do we have here?"

"Kennedy Randolph, you reether like she’d sucked an unripe lemon I take that as a yes

"Randolph, huh? I used to hook up with your sister, back in the day Claire" Louis stresses the consonants in a sleazy kind of way "You look like her How’s she doing?"

Kennedy stares him down "She’ssoe--fro our bet"

Shit I forgot about that

Kennedy goes pale, and I can practically feel her heart stutter