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I take a filled plate from her

“Uh huh Speed dial?”

I shovel a forkful into ood food slow cooked I can’t iine what she did for dessert

She passes me another side dish; this one is baked broccoli with pasta and cheese “What? We volunteer together”

My father chuckles, clarifying, “That’s e’re calling it now,wife?”

Mo over by the east lawn at 7:50 pm”

I groan My mother is either the best or the worst conspirator I haven’t decided yet

“All right, but I don’t need any help e get there”

“Are you kidding? I bet she’s got another boyfriend” Cole is taunting rind ood sixty pounds of muscle on my brother, I’d wrestle him until he screamed uncle

Moo “Of course not, Henry How could she possibly say no to you? Besides, Marines never give up”

What lected to tellits rounds around toith all the newly enlisted Families waved at us and thanked us for our service, but I was too busy scanning the crowd for a dark-haired girl I had to beg for a second chance

As the float makes another round, I finally see her on the east lawn, standing next to a few guys and checking so out on her phone Moe that it was just her with a bunch of odd cousins I’d neverplaid scarves around their necks, and I assume they’re all related by their similar looks

“There’s your girl” My fellow Marine and best friend Frankie nods He lives in the next town over but caether Frankie had his own suularly focused as I on our careers

“Da my eyes trained on her I study the way she brushes back a lock of hair The way she s that I assume is stupid For his sake, he’d better be a cousin

I get up, ready to ju to take in her beauty