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“And you never looked at her before her eighteenth birthday?” Dad asks

I gasp and Bennet sits upright in his chair, as though a zap of electricity has just hit hi me that? Honestly?”

“I’m her father, Bennet Even if I know you never would, even if you’re the best man I’ve ever known, I have to ask”

I reach out, placing er I can feel it, rising in the air, like a scent

Dad’s gaze snaps to my hand

Crap

I quickly re to lift his lips When I was a kid, I used to insist that we have little contests, the first to smile or blink His lips would twitch in the sarin

Does he like that my first instinct was to calm my man?

“The answer’s no,” Bennet says, sighing gruffly “Obviously She was just a little kid in braces and her nose in a book But sohteen… It was like, suddenly, there was this woman there And I knew I had to be with her, support her, for the rest of our lives

“Shit,And thensohter,children with her, about being with her forever”

Bennet breaks off, shaking his head “There’s nothing I can say to et that But that scares the shit out ofthis way, ever”

Dad nods, coone “And Lorelei, what about you?”

“I felt the same I won’t lie I’ve had a crush on Bennet since I was a teenager, but what he’s saying is true He never looked at ht’ve wanted hiht I was hallucinating e al true”

“I think it’s romantic,” Mom suddenly says

Dad looks at her “Sa?”

Mo my honest opinion We both know Bennet would never be interested in Rory before she turned eighteen You know that better than anyone because you’ve known Bennet for two decades In fact, Rick, I think it was a very spiteful question to ask”