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“We don’thi let her think there was any hope of Natalie going with them Why had he?

Because whether he wanted to or not, he liked the idea of Natalie going with theh she knehat she was doing while she’d been sitting next to her looking at her tablet

“We want to ht?” the child continued “I could show you ame There are more dresses with mermaid tails!”

Natalie was looking downright panicked Matthew toyed with the idea of letting her off the hook, but he was curious as to why Carrie was so eager for her to go with theard to hisnew friends or getting to know anyone Until Natalie Go figure

“That’s right,” he agreed “Plus, I owe you for sitting with my favorite fashionista”

“I was only here for, like, five minutes,” Natalie rushed to clarify “Ten at the ”

Her co Natalie because the paying up had been a lot of fun

“Please?” Carrie pleaded in hervoice, the one Matthew hadn’t learned to say no to “He’ll take us to get really great food” She named the restaurant they’d visited way too often over the past feeeks Matthew didn’t normally eat fast food, but apparently kids loved it

Natalie’s nose wrinkled and she frowned at him “Not a very healthy choice for a four-year-old, is it?”

Probably not, but he’d just been so grateful when Carrie had started eating again that he’d fed her whatever she wanted Still, as a cardiologist, he knew the dangers of tooCarrie eat healthy Another thing to feel guilty over

Carrie turned pleading eyes toward Natalie “Please say you’ll go You can pick the restaurant”

Still Natalie hesitated If she could have thought of a way to get out of going, she would have That ritten all over her face

Sensing Natalie was about to make a break for it, Carrie launched into a new plea “I’ll be extra-good and eat so healthy I promise!”

“You’re always extra-good” Matthew tugged on her lopsided ponytail, wondering how it had worked loose when he’d thought he’d finally gotten it right Then again, she acted as if he were ripping her hair out every time he brushed it or went to pull it up He wouldn’t take back his coured a little acting out here and there was normal

Carrie lifted her big eyes to Natalie again “Please Don’t you want to be my friend?”