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“Yep” She gives me a nod, tosses the last tiny bite of her roll past her lips, then chews proudly “I met him online Then we met up a few times in person He lives all the way out in a place called Brady Phew, it’s a drive, so we meet halfway He’s … different than the other men I’ve dated He actually keeps up with me”

That’s already a keeper, right there “What’s his name?”

“You’re gonna laugh” She lowers her voice “Joseph”

I don’t get the joke “Joseph …?”

“Yeah” She sees I don’t get it, so she spells it out: “Jo and Jo”

“Oh” I laugh at that, then take another tasty, crispy bite of cinnaoes by Joseph and not Jo”

“He goes by Joey, actually Which I guess is only a little weird, but how often do you use your own naht, confuses herself, then carries on “There’s just so And I …” She takes another cinnaooey delicacy in contemplation “I went to see Joseph this weekend—That’s where I really was, not the se was a lie—and I really feel like things are getting real between us—serious between us Joey … he hs at her cinnamon roll “I want to tell Chaddy But I can’t I mean, not yet, at least I can’t leave hiet more serious with me and Joey I want Chaddy to have someone in his life before I move on with mine, you know? Ito do”

I nod slowly “I understand You care about Chad a lot”

“I do I really do”

Her foot starts tapping on the floor

All of the brightness in her eyes has turned into two gloomy pools of despair

I prop my elbows on my knees and lean forward “You can’t put your whole life on hold for hi you forward, whether you’re ready for it or not It doesn’t always play on our own time”

“That’s true,” she murmurs at her roll, almost sulky

“He’ll understand I’m sure he will”