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“Sorry for chasing us out of the house,” I say between bites

Toby winces “Glad you said so I was afraid to ask”

“It’s just … after I slipped up with the ‘boyfriend’ thing, I felt weird as hell I’ve never actually brought any kind of guy home to my parents before”

“Any kind of guy …?” Toby quirks an eyebrow, apparently findingodd “You mean, like a boyfriend?”

“I’ve never really had an actual boyfriend before They’ve all just been …” How do I put this so I don’t sound like a totally horrible, soulless uys who don’t like to spend ht so they have so about to their friends?” I cut another bite of crêpe withup some melted chocolate with it “No one’s ever really respected me before Not like you do”

I was hoping he’d be flattered by that Instead, he looks hurt

I set down ?”

“No” Toby shakes his head “I just can’t iine the kinds of crowds you’ve kept in the past, ould think so little of you I don’t want to iine them Why wouldn’t they respect you? It’s hu person, Vann”

“Well, give it time”

“You’ve used that joke before,” he calls iven it ti” He reconsiders “Well, except for the snoring”

My jaw drops “Snoring??”

“Just a little” He winks at oes for another bite