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I wasn’t one to catalog everything Chloe wore, but the fa in my pants told me I’d most definitely seen these shoes before--over my shoulders, if I wasn’t mistaken "Where have I seen those?"

"Oh, I don’t know" She was a rotten liar "At home?"

At home, in our bedroos we did when that box was out

I reo We hadn’t seen each other in weeks and I couldn’t get close enough, touch her enough, fk her hard enough She’d pulled out those shoes along with so wax I could still reoose buan at that warI actually promised her I’d kneel and hand-feed her breakfast the next day I ca this to fk with me, aren’t you?" I asked "This is about the let’s-wait-to-have-sex-until-after-the-wedding thing, isn’t it?"

"Absolutely"

We found a parking spot about a block away fro around to open Chloe’s door I took her hand and watched as she clis that went on forever, shoes you could easily impale yourself on--and shook my head at her the entire ti ive it up, Ryan," she said, pushing up onto her toes to kiss ed to pull away, both of us looking in the direction of the restaurant "Here we go"With the patio area open and visible fro before we’d even ether," Chloe’s dad was saying

"Nonsense, Frederick, they’ll be fine" My father, always the diploe I’m sure your sisters are wonderful ladies Let’s spread theet to know them"

"‘Spread them around’? I don’t think you understand, Elliott My sisters are crazy They’re le They will hunt down every available ive the a hand on each of her shoulders and looking into her brown eyes "You ready for this?" I asked

She stood up on her toes and pressed her warainst my mouth

I took her hand and we stepped inside just in tierating a little?"

Frederick sighed "I wish I were I--"

"It’s about ti in front of them to walk toward me Both fathers looked in our direction as Henry continued, "I orried you touldn’t show up and I’d have to drag you nad frogingyou banned froarrangements"

"And what a disaster it will be if we split up Judith and Mary," Frederick added, directing his words toward Chloe

Chloe huggedto win me any points with Susan," she told ree withover more real estate than necessary There will be fewer casualties that way"

With that settled, I pulled ive Chloe a moment alone with Frederick

My mother had rented out the entire beachside restaurant, and I had to adhborhood,vines and greenery clung to every available surface Now that the sun was starting to set, the huge outdoor seating area twinkled with strings of tiny lights The tables were beginning to fill, and I realized I couldn’t identify half the people ere s in our direction

"Who the hell are all these people?" I asked

"Perhaps a little louder, son Your great-grandht not have heard you," he said "And they’re family Cousins, auntsfirst nepheice re to form at the open bar "Actually, I’, so they htened his grip on my shoulder "Don’t tell her I said that"

"Great Everyone else here?"

"I think so," Dad said "Your uncles are out on the patio I haven’t seen your cousins yet"

I winced inwardly My brother, Henry, and I spent theup with our two cousins, Brian and Chris Brian was the oldest of the four Ryan boy cousins and a quiet, serious child, much like I had been He and I had always been close But Chris--or Bull as he insisted on being called--made me want to chew off my own limb to escape My mom used to say that Chris only wanted to be like us, and preferred the nickname so he would be one of the B’s: Brian, Bennett, Bull I always suspected this was bullshit After all, Henry started with an H, and the personalized beer cozy Bull brought to parties, along with his unbuttoned shirt and gold chains nestled in a thicket of wild chest hair, suggested he was totally fine being his own person Chris just liked the idea of being called Bull because he was an idiot

"I’ smile

"I’ll keep an eye out," I said "And I’m sure Lyle has re to you over dinner Maybe the results of his last prostate exa in restrained amusement as he waved to someone across the rooure--seemed to have no filter for the inappropriate Over the years I’d lost count of the number of stories Lyle had told about his adventures in the navy, disgusting bodily functions, how people in rural towns had "relations" with animals, and the various moles his wife had to have reest he offer one as a toast?"

Laughing I said, "I’ll give you one whole Aest it, Dad"

Myher thuine was a bright pink lipstick rabbed a napkin off a table instead

"Why didn’t you wear the blue suit?" she asked, snatching the napkin from me to wipeI liked the blue suit much better than this one"