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“You did let us sleep in your bed,” Hallie allowed “I guess we could give you a point for that”

“And we’ll give you another one for a ride in the truck!” Luna added

“Het a nine out of ten?”

“Yes,” they answered

“Fine But I’ Dad music the whole time” I cranked up the volume on Aerosmith and rolled down the s

Nine out of ten wasn’t perfect, but I’d fucking take it

Two

Winnie

I like a well-irl, but I never truly considered hbor moved in

Around one o’clock that day—a Saturday—I was sitting onmy toes when I heard the sound of a truck with noisy brakes in the parking lot My ere open, and after the truck’s engine shut off, I heard two male voices

Intrigued, I stood up and walked onthe curtain aside, I peeked out and saoup the truck door and pulling out the loading ramp

I recognized one of theray T-shirt Yesterday afternoon, I’d seen hi into my driveway after work The end unit had been empty for a couple months but had recently been sold—ht then, except that he’d see into a dusty black, older- off

But this was definitely the guy It was hard to tell how old he was from up here—maybe late twenties or early thirties?—but he was tall, with big shoulders and biceps that bulged inside the sleeves of his shirt He yelled soruff voice

Curious, I watched him and his buddy unload furniture off the truck My cat, a brown and white tabby, nudged my ankle with her nose, like she wanted to see him too