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“I have a few calls to ent that others can’t take care of Do you ht yet?”

“No,” I say “I don’t want you to go either”

“In that case,” he says, so hoet some clothes I’ll be back in time for lunch”

“Okay,” I say, trying to look nor Because I love the fact that we can make simple plans like lunch For the first ti, and it’s a

9

The rest of the week, Bryce and I are inseparable Elle laughs at ets, but I know that she’s happy forBryce hoether

We fit into each other’s routines without much effort He doesn’t come to the store with me every day, but stays at oes further into Boston to meet with his clients But on the days he’s not in the corner chair reading, he’s outside the shop at closing tiet any stress that I’ve gathered that day

Even a few custo on how bright I a smile on his face for the rest of the day

And of course, there’s the sex We can’t keep our hands off each other He kno tolike no other person ever has And when I’s fros we never had a chance to talk about before

And noeek later, we’re in the car together back to Waterton for Marcy’s baby shower I haven’t toldto tohich I know that he doesn’t approve of But that’s soet to dictate, and he knows that It’s the only asterisk to this happiness—the looht happen when ether

And they will find out eventually

They’ll have to, if ant this to be long ter andI saw in hied for, was accurate, and deeper than I could have iined

We’re holding hands across the center console, and I’e fly by when he speaks “You’re quiet,” he says

I s about this week How nice it’s been”

He squeezeselse, and I lean back and close my eyes It’s a five-hour drive to Waterton, and we’re barely half-way there One of the reasons I don’t often go hohway “We need gas, and there’s a great diner here”