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“Oh, I didn’t realize that was happening,” Honey said as she licked some chocolate off her finger. “Sorry, they’re all gone. Well, there’re a few nut ones left, but everyone knows the nut ones are crap. You can have them if you want them, though.”

Jacob frowned at Honey, but then Ammo took a step forward. “Go!”

Jacob turned around and took off.

Aimee sighed. “You didn’t have to scare him so badly. I had it under control.”

Ammo stared down at her. “I told you to stay behind me.”

“Uh-oh, someone’s in trouble,” Honey sang.

Ammo turned to her. “Honey, go take those chocolates to Keira. You know she likes the nut ones.”

“Yeah, she’s such a weirdo about things like that. Who likes nut chocolate? Although I don’t mind sucking chocolate off a nut.”

Honey winked at her and she wasn’t sure why. Sucking chocolate off a nut? Oh, wait. Yikes.

“Chocolate does get a bit messy though. You definitely don’t want to use it if you have white sheets. Just ends up looking like you pooped the bed.”

With a grin, Honey turned away and skipped through the house.

Ammo took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, as though he was searching for patience. Then he shut the front door, so she could no longer see the others through at the back of the house.

“What was that?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

“What was what?” she asked.

“I told you to stay back behind me, and you deliberately disobeyed me.”

“All right, you listen to me, mister,” she said, poking her finger into his chest. “You don’t get to boss me around.”

He leaned down so their eyes were nearly level. “I do get to boss you around. I’m in charge of you.”

“No, you think you’re in charge of me,” she said. “But you’re not. And I can deal with people like Jacob myself.”

“Last time a guy came to the door trying to get you to go on a date with him you hid in the kitchen,” he reminded her.

Shame filled her. She had done that. What was she doing? Why was she attacking Ammo when he was just trying to help her?

She’d hidden behind him when Lenny came to the door. And Yvonne. And she’d even run away from Mr. C.

“You’re right,” she whispered. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful or anything. All you’ve done is help me.”

“Well, sometimes.”

She wanted to ask him again why he’d walked out the other night. If he’d been thinking about kissing her. What if he hadn’t been, though? What if that idea repulsed him?

Yeah, it was better that she didn’t say anything more to him about it.

“I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself.”

But, jeez, adulting was so hard. There were days where she just wished she could hide away for the entire day, but she couldn’t. She had to put on her adult panties and take care of stuff. Otherwise, everything would just fall apart.

Even though it kind of felt like it was falling apart anyway. Crumbling beneath her fingers.

To her surprise, Ammo’s finger landed under her chin, and he gently tilted her head back. “Are you?”

“Am I what?” she asked, confused.