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“They’re probably in a bad service area,” Layton said “I wouldn’t worry Erik will take good care of Emma”

“I knoill” She settled on the sofa with the popcorn she’d just popped “Want to know a secret?”

“Sure,” he answered, grabbing a handful

“E crush on Erik since ere kids She thinks I never noticed but it was plainly obvious”

“How’d you know?”

“Well, for one, girls always knohen a girl likes a guy Second, it was easy to catch herpuppy whenever he was around It was really annoying, actually”

“So, has Erik ever shown an interest in Emma?”

“God no And I’lad for that! Hoeird would that be to haveup with ery”

“It’s no weirder than e’re doing,” he reminded her

“No, it’s totally different”

“How so?”

“Because it is” She left it at that There was no way he could convince her that the situations were similar because she didn’t want them to be similar “Besides, Emma and Erik are complete opposites They’d never suit”

“Your brother is a good guy Why wouldn’t you want your best friend to find a man worth her time?”

“Oh, couic and reason have no bearing on ether—end of story”