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“You again?” She laughs “You didn’t get the hint yesterday?” Is it just me, or does she sound pleased to hear from me?

“I’m not known for my ability to pick up on hints You’d know that if you read the papers” I chuckle “Are you going to let me speak to Jake today?”

“Nope”

“Okay, I guess I’ll just have to speak to you, then”

“What if I don’t want to speak to you?” she asks

“You haven’t hung up yet If you really didn’t want to speak toup as soon as you realized who it was But you didn’t”

“That’s ridiculous,” she scoffs “We’ve been talking for two seconds I’ve barely had time to process all of this”

“Which ain”

“Oh hs “I’d think you were kidding, but I knohat you’re like”

“That’s right” I chuckle “I forgot You’re a wo she reads”

“So you’re telling ? Poor Ryder Stevens, always painted in a bad light It’s never your fault, is it?” she teases

I laugh and runto a stranger is the happiest I’ve felt sincethat the er”

“So you didn’t fall out of a hot tub full of naked woain “Uh-huh That right there was the only response I needed”

“So I’m clumsy,” I protest “Is that any reason to persecute me?”

“I’ you You are who you are You can’t help it that you have more money than sense, or that you don’t take your tennis very seriously I ht before a grand slale mother orks full-time, studies, and looks after a sick seven-year-old”