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Kaden stood and reached out, placing a hand on herthe part of a dejected dinner date like he ht win an Oscar Her mother’s smile warmed, an almost instant response that pricked at Abby’s nerves

“It’s okay, Mr and Mrs Bridges,” Kaden said, frown in place “I knew Abby asking uess I shouldn’t have accepted I can just go”

“Nonsense” Her mother turned to Kaden “You’re such a sweet boy Clearly, she just lost track of time like she said, but she’s here now And I’lanced at her with probing eyes “Isn’t that right?”

What the heck did he say to them in her absence? Whatever it was, he had won both of them over in record time

“Uh, yeah Of course,” Abby said

“After her grand, she’s been distracted They were very close, and Abby has trouble processing her feelings Ever since she was a little girl, she—”

“You want to go up to lanced at Kaden, i him to say yes before her mother could continue to provide him with too much information Who knehat she already shared with him

His lips twitched like he was fighting off a smile “I don’t know I rather enjoy yourup What was her nalanced at hereyes “Lilly Lollipop?”

Oh osh Forty minutes late and he already had herhim stories about her childhood

Abby narrowed her eyes at him, thenhim away from the table

“We’ll be upstairs working on calculus,” she said to her parents with a smile

When they burst into the hallway, she pinched his arm

“Ouch! That hurt”

“Serves you right” Abby shot daggers at hi like I invited you to dinner, then stood you up, and getting all buddy-buddy with my parents”

Kaden’s lips curled “They’re nice people And you kind of did ask”