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Friday shakes her head "Paul thinks of uys, no ers up to her lips and licks through the middle of them "That’s because he thinks you do that as hs, and Friday shoves her in the shoulder

E do you want?"

"All the way," I say I wonder if I should take one back for Pete But I don’t even knohat he would like "What does Pete like?" I ask "Do you know?"

"Onions and mustard," Friday and E noise in her throat

Friday holds up forty bucks "Paul gave s for everyone," she says Someone bumps into her, and she drops a twenty I bend over to pick it up

I hear a whistle behind me and ie of ood tirinning Heat creeps upmy shirt down "And sohs She and Friday lean close together with their shoulders touching They both narrow their eyes at h up do you think those markers went?" she asks Friday But she knows I can hear her

"I’d rather kno far down they went," Friday says

They both laugh A grin tugs at h," I say quietly

Eain "They haven’t done it yet," she says She turns around to order

"She’s right, isn’t she?" Friday asks I nod, and she curses, pulling a five from her pocket She slides it into Eht because he’ll still feel bad about your dog" She puts a hand on my shoulder and rubs it fondly "I’ht about Mags in hours, and now I feel bad for forgetting her Tears sting my eyes, but I blink thelares at Friday

"I ," Friday says

"I told you not to do that," E it up"

He did? "It’s all right I don’t mind," I say I want to miss her I want to remember her I want to talk about her

Soain I don’t like this busy street Not at all I edge closer to Friday

She looks at s "I want to like you, Reagan," Friday says

"I…want to…like you, too," I say slowly

"Those boys are like my family," she says

"Friday," Emily warns

But she holds up a hand "Those boys are like my family When I didn’t have anyone, they were there" There’s a story here, and I really want to knohat it is "You have a family," she says "So if you fk mine up, I will cut you" She wields a plastic fork in ," she says "Well, sort of"

"I get it," I say

"She’s not even sleeping with him yet," Emily says "Leave her alone"

Friday snorts "I didn’t leave you alone"

"You told us to spray disinfectant if we have sex at the shop" Eht extra disinfectant"

"E," Friday says

I laugh I could like these wos and head back to the tattoo parlor But Pete’s not there e get back "Where did he go?" I ask

"I sent hi a tattoo and see back?" I ask I’m not too happy to be stuck here, particularly since Matt has , but then the shop fills up A group of marines walks in the door There are five of them, and I suddenly feel cornered I step toward the back of the building, but that doesn’t helpsense of unease, not in the least Paul looks up fro, and his eyes narrow "You okay, Reagan?" he asks I’ht I was past all this But I’m not Apparently, I’m only able to move past it when Pete’s with me, and that leaves me as disquieted as the ht

Paul puts down his tattoo gun and walks to the back of the shop with me He pulls the curtain around the private area I heave in a breath, finally able to fill s since those men came in the room "Better?" he asks

He sits down at a table and opens a box of pens He starts to absently draw on a piece of paper

"Don’t just stand there," he says "Sit" He pats the table in front of him "People make me nervous when they pace," he says He doesn’t even look up at me He’s just sits and draws quietly

"Paul," I start "I think I should go"

He nods, but he still doesn’t look up "Let me knohen you’re ready so I can pack up my stuff"

"What?" Why would he need to pack?

He finally looks up, and his blue eyesI would take care of his girl So if you leave, I have to leave Just let me knohen you’re ready"

"I don’t need a babysitter," I bite out Butwith tears already I blink them back furiously

"I didn’t say you needed a babysitter," he replies, and I can tell he’s annoyed He’s still gentle and caring, but there’s souys make you feel uncoain He’s not payingthat he is