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Mrs Miller’s demeanor cooled down noticeably after that

“Friends of yours?” she asked with a chill in her voice

“They’re Derek and Ryan’s girlllfrieeends!” the littlest one cackled, like she’d just gotten them in trouble

Maybe she had Mrs Miller raised her eyebrows slightly

“No we’re not, we just came over to hear them play,” I said nervously, and extended my hand “I’m Kaitlyn”

She took my hand and warmed up a little “Hello, Kaitlyn”

“I’m Shanna,” Shanna said She waved half-heartedly, put her elbows on the countertop, and crossed her arms in front of her chest She was no fool

“Hello,” Mrs Miller said a little less warmly, then turned to Ryan “And will Derek and your friends be staying for dinner?”

“Uhhhhh… we hadn’t really discussed that,” Ryan said, looking at me

“No We don’t want to impose,” I said

“Ah, come on She feeds me all the time,” Derek said jovially

“That’s true,” Mrs Miller ad look “And you’re eatin’ me out of house and home”

“Noooooo, never,” Derek grinned back

She shetti, and I don’t have enough haer meat and sauce for everybody”

“We’ll get it,” Derek volunteered “We can go to the store”

“No, really,” I said, “that’s too much trouble – ”

“If y’all go get it, it’s no trouble at all,” Mrs Miller said

“Yaaaaayyyy!” the little girls cheered “Derek’s gonna stay for dinner!”

“I guess we’re staying,” Shanna whispered

I didn’t roll my eyes this time

29

I drove us to the grocery store Mrs Miller had given Ryan soredients plus a few other things – and he and Shanna got a cart and started down an aisle

“Aren’t you coed behind

If I didn’t know any better, I would have said he was crushing on me

Which was super-aard

“We’ll follow along,” Derek said “I want to have soiiirrrlfriennd”

“Oh God,” I said as I closed h I earily annoyed