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“Don’t freak out about this one, okay?” Vivi Ann said “He’s lucky to have you”

“Thanks,” Winona said, wishing she could believe it “Noah asked if he could work till nine Is that okay with you?”

“Sure I’ll coreat to be around the past few days Actually sone back to the kid he was before the hormones hit And I think a lot of it is thanks to you”

“I haven’t done anything major”

“Winona Grey not taking credit for so? Is there a neorld order?”

“Very funny”

Vivi Ann gave her a big hug, kissed her on the cheek, told her goodbye, and went outside, where she talked to Noah for a few er, and then left

Winona i She was like one of those polar bears in the zoo, wearing a groove into the ground at the fence line, slowly going mad She hated first dates; there was so erous that crystalline eht: Maybe he’s the one; et about Luke

“Aunt Winona?”

She stopped pacing, thankful for the distraction “You don’t have to keep working tonight, you know”

“I want to Otherwise I’d just chill in ht My insane ot suspended from school”

“So you’re saying that scraping poop off wood is all you have to do on a Saturday night?”

“Jeez Way to make me feel like a loser”

“Sorry”

He nodded and stood there, staring at her It occurred to her that he’d cleaned up—his shiny hair was in a ponytail and his sleeveless T-shirt and board shorts actually fit hi those ridiculously swollen skateboarder’s shoes, but not all fashion battles could be won at once