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"You cold?"

"A little, but it’s fine My bag’s at the botto," I answered, stafor you," he exclai, which was on top He handed e, wrapped in brown paper

"What’s this?" I asked, as he blushed deeply Siot this, did you?" he replied, his hair falling into his eyes a little as he sht, but then--"

"Hey, Parker! Could use a little help over here!" Neil called as he struggled to load all of Sophia’s luggage Yesterday, this would have been Ryan’s job Noas Neil’s Yesterday How the world had changed in one day

He backed away froot thee to find a very thick, very soft Irish sweater I lifted it out of the paper, feeling the weight and the nubbly texture of the weave I pressed it againstthe scent of wool and unrinned into the sweater, then quickly slipped it overloose and low, yet still wrappedme from over at Neil’s truck He smiled as I twirled for him

"Thank you," I aveno one noticed

Chapter Fourteen

INSIDE A BLACK RANGE ROVER on the way back to San Francisco…

Caroline: Okay, I can do this…It’s only a few hours back into the city I can be the bigger person here I can act like he didn’t pull an all stop at the thought of seeing ht--and what the hell? What man says no to tatas? I ht, and they et, for Christ’s sake…Why didn’t he want my tatas? Caroline, just settle down…Just s is fine Wait, he’s looking over here Smile! Okay, he smiled back…Stupid tata turner-downer…I mean, what’s up with that? And he was hard!

Siht? I ht? Okay, done I hope that looked iant sweater would look so good on a girl…But everything looks pretty good on Caroline--especially that green bikini Did I really turn her down last night? God, it would have been so easy to just…But then I couldn’t Why couldn’t I??? Jesus, Simon Well, ere drunk…Correction, she was drunk Would she have regretted it? She ht have been a bit of a disaster…Or was it the girls? I shouldn’t do that to the girls either But it’s not even really working so ith the girls these days, now is it? Huh, I didn’t think about the about Caroline She’s looking atto talk about the whole way back to the city? Ryan isn’t even paying attention Bastard I told hi himself to a handful of Mimi I’ether Hmm…Caroline and I…Caroline and me in a hot tub where bikinis are outlawed…Jesus, wait a ot a se like that? Jesus, does he have to pee? Maybe I have to pee Maybe this would be a good tirab Mi with us is not so they can suck face the whole way, but to run interference for me with Scared of Tatas over there Okay, just ask hias station Wow, he really does have to pee, I guess I hope this gas station has Gardetto’s

Simon: Thank God she wanted to stop Now I can adjust without looking like a pervert…oh, who a in a car with a woht of it as station has Gardetto’s

Miuoing to make it back to the city before dark Mi that as station has condoms

Caroline: Okay, you could have handled that a little better Mi of Gardetto’s was not that big of a deal Am I a little sensitive today? Yes, I suppose I a out my ass as I walked away fro out ht he didn’t even want to peek under my bikini Is he really that co his hand out Stay still, Caroline, stay still…Oh, sesa at es, you wouldn’t even have noticed it You will never get this sesame seed now, buddy Daood? I hope he hasn’t noticedthis sweater the whole way

Si a cold We spent so much time outside this weekend…I would hate for her to coain Should I offer her a Kleenex?

Mi that sweater

Ryan: I wonder if Miu those condoms I mean, I don’t want to be presuain sometime very, very soon Who knew someone so tiny could be so loud…and now I’m hard

Mimi: Ryan Hall…Mimi Reyes Hall…Mimi Hall…Mimi Reyes-Hall…

Caroline: Okay, Caroline, time to have that difficult conversation--with yourself Why exactly did you throw yourself at Siht? Was it the wine? Was it the s? Okay, okay, no more bullshit I did it because…because…Fuck, I need some more Gardetto’s

Simon: She’s so pretty I mean, there’s pretty and then there’s pretty…What a puy I aood…pussy…Why do soirls sirls want to so? Maybe if I think the word o…Caroline…pussy…God! And now I’ain…He’s drinking too much coffee He’s had like six cups already from that thermos That’s funny…He never has a second cup at home Why the hell do I kno many cups of coffee he drinks? Face it, Caroline, you know so much about hiain? We are never gonnasoet a beer or soet back--in case he wants to coht Should I offer? Wow, Miyour sweater, Caroline! Seriously, girl If I could just get her alone…Okay, Siet her alone by the beef jerky

Caroline: Ugh…I can’t believe Mi the sweater I wonder if Simon noticed

Si any more

Mimi: I need to text Sophia She needs to know the Si any better What the hell are we gonna do with these two? I ht in front of them Aa…Ryan wants ers long…