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"The only thing I kne to cook," he said with a sht, how he’d watched over her through the long hours, unable to understand his need to iven that his entire world had imploded
"After breakfast" She closed her eyes, clearly eot turned down again" She shook her head "You gave me a sweatshirt There was money in the pocket"
"I didn’t want you out there with nothing"
"I thought it was a test at first," she ad how she’d tried to give him back the money
"You told me to follow my instincts and not let anyone distract ht and there rong and that there was also a gray area, and that was okay as long as I stayed as close to the right as I could get And then I left and I never saw you again"
He nudged theof tea to hera fewaside "But you were around Watching over me," she said "Weren’t you?"
"Yes"
"Tell me why I didn’t realize that Why you didn’t just letyour everyyou’ve never invaded my privacy?"
That question wasn’t nearly so easy to answer honestly Neither was the question she was really getting at--why hadn’t he wanted her?
She looked at hiot all of this straight You didn’t want to be with oing as far as to direct me into school and a job--"
"The school of your choice," he pointed out "And a job you love"
She narrowed her eyes "You didn’t want to be with me," she repeated "So instead you basically stalked me--"
"Not stalked," he said "Kept safe and protected"
"But I didn’t need that from you I needed--" She broke off and turned away "Look," she said, clearly striving for patience "I get that you’ve been there for me, more than anyone elseever But the way you went about it"
"You were underage"
She turned back "What?"
Fuck it "You were sixteen, Elle I enty-two We couldn’t I couldn’t" He drew a deep breath "And then after you left, you worked hard and got your life together Seeing me would’ve been a reminder of shit you didn’t want to re particularly flattered that he’d tried to do the right thing "I make my own decisions," she finally said "I don’t need anyoneas you’re stillto your list of my infractions"
"Oh boy"