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“Festive is definitely the word for that,” I muttered, as I carried the cup to the kitchen table When my back was to Lark, I picked off the red pocket lint that had come with the sprinkles

I sat down beside JoJo and wondered hoas actually supposed to drink my coffee now that it was under a Matterhorn of whipped crea your boyfriend to a tree! We need some Christmas spirit in this house”

“I’ the tree too, but Theo can’teach other boyfriends yet,” I said Meanwhile, JoJo plucked a fast food straw from a cup of odds and ends on the table, peeled off the wrapper, and slipped it into le, to avoid as much whipped cream and pocket sprinkle as possible I rinned at me

Lark was so upset that you’d think someone had just told him reindeer couldn’t fly “Your boyfriend-no-etting the tree for when he’s available, Yolanda?”

I started to say, “It’s not that he’s busy He just…” Yolanda watchedto explain theAfter aa bunch ofto him, so he decided to sit this one out”

Lark’s expression turned syet scared too when I’m around a bunch of people I don’t know That’s why I like being a cam boy so et nervous before I went onstage It wasn’t the part where I had to get naked that was hard for ers”

He looked so vulnerable all of a sudden, so I i When I let go of him, he said, “Thanks, Casey What was that for?”

“For being a nice person with a lot of empathy”

He smiled at me and asked, “Would it help if I went and talked to your not-although-actually-yes-boyfriend so he knoe’re not scary?”

“Thanks for the offer, but I think it’s best to just give him a little time He’s been on his own for quite a while, and I don’t want to overwhelm him with too much, too soon”

Lark nodded sole care of him”