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Do you think Sophia should talk to Neil?

Yes, she probably should

You gonna tell her?

I think you should

Together?

At the diner tomorrow?

Deal Tell Simon thanks for dinner, it really was nice

I will, tell Ryan thanks for coet it do they?

Eh, they’re boys

They’re pretty great boys

That they are I’o kiss oncoffee for both of us

"This seat taken?" I asked him

He shook his head and lifted a corner of the blanket he was under I sat down and handed hi He sipped, then raised an eyebrow

"I wanted a little Irish with ht we both could use it," I explained

"Agreed"

We sat together for aover this This isn’t our fight"

"I know it isn’t It’s just hard to watch" I sighed, looking out over the bay It was quiet tonight, the fog softening all the sounds

"I get that, but you have to let them work it out"

"I know"

"And they can’t work it out if they don’t talk"

"I know"

We were both quiet, under the blanket

"You said soht that I didn’t like"

Surprised, I turned to hiirlfriend you guys were going on and on about, that doesn’t mean I didn’t have real connections with the people I dated I don’t have ex-girlfriends because I didn’t have girlfriends in the traditional sense, but that doesn’t mean I don’t understand the difference"

I nodded "You’re right"

"You can’t just negate my past because it wasn’t the saht" I turned to look at him

"Okay?" he said

"Okay," I replied He was in a very different place with me than he’d ever been before "Are we okay?"

"Of course we’re okay Isn’t this how people in relationships resolve conflicts? You said so his chest out a bit

"Well, good godda my coffee cup to his "So what do we do next? Y’know, as people in a relationship after they’ve resolved a conflict"

"Pretty sure a blw jb should follow this," he said seriously

"H and snuck over to his hi-there "Did you want that right here or--"

"Christ no, it’s cold out here Let’s go inside, where it’s waring me inside

"Pretty sure that’s not a word"

"Blow job is" He locked the patio door and faceds too ot you into trouble in the first place," he said, pointing et in there"

I resolved hiht

chapter nine

E-mail excerpt froreat at work; everyone is saying what a great job you’re doing I even got an e- even earlier than anticipated based on the guys you recoo, kiddo! Hey, how’s Monica doing? Don’t work her too hard I know you won’t, but the boss in odsend! And I’d tell you not to work too hard, but I know better, right?

Things are a here; I almost don’t want to tell you But I totally will--I am in love with France Seriously, I could live here The food alone is a reason to chuck my passport and stay Did you know you can harvest your own oysters and eat them on the beach in Brittany? Crazy But noe’re off to Italy, stopping first in Lake Como to stay in a villa that one of Benjamin’s partners owns No, it’s not Clooney, but I will tell him hello if I see him ; )

Oh, I meant to tell you Make sure youto call you to set so up I need you to e-mail me some files

• • •

Text fro woo? Like he ooing you?

Whoa No woo Iwoo"

Did he try to woo you?

Caroline, dammit, no That’s not the point He wanted to talk, you all convinced me to let him talk, so he talked I listened

Did you yell?