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“Hi, Winnie!” Hallie and Luna started ju like mad “Hi!”

And then, because apparently there wasn’t a big enough audience, another car pulled up in front of the MacAllisters’ house, and a second teenage girl ju as the car drove off Then she noticed everyone outside “Oh, crap Did I ?”

“No,” the first teenage girl said, hopping down fro Kyle was just leaving when thisto Winnie that he loves her and he wants another chance—but he was yelling at the Wilsons’ house, not ours Not that it mattered, because she wasn’t even here”

“Audrey, be quiet!” Winnie put her hands on her head “Dex What is this? Why are you on your knees?”

“We told him to do that!” Hallie shouted proudly “Because that’s what the ogre would do!”

“He was begging you for another chance, Win,” Audrey said eagerly “Are you going to give it to him?”

“Audrey, enough” Frannie put a hand over Audrey’s mouth from behind But nobody else moved

Reluctantly, I got to irls by the hand, and crossed the street When we reached the sidewalk, I told them to stay put and moved closer to where Winnie stood frozen at the end of the driveway

“I’esture, but it turned into a demonstration of public humiliation”

“Ohthe other hand to her mouth

“But I guess I’m too far in to turn back now, and you knohat?” I shook my head “I don’t want to”

“Because he loves you,” Luna said froain, because she didn’t hear you”

“Because I love you,” I repeated, looking her right in the eye “I know I’m too old for you, and you could have anyone you wanted—soer and se”

“Someone less hairy,” said Hallie

“That doesn’t snore,” added Luna

“As I was saying,” I went on, throwing a brief but lance over my shoulder at my kids, “I know you could find someone better for you But you won’t find someone who loves you more Or wants to be with you the way I do”

“But what about all the things you said before?” Winnie asked with tears in her eyes “About hoe should go our separate ways?”

“I said things to push you away because I was scared,” I confessed “You ignited a fire in s for you, and I’m someone who likes to be in control all the ti compared to how scared I’ve been that I lost you forever I never should have let you go without telling you that I love you, I want to be with you nokindergarten when I graduated fro incredible”