“I thought it was just going to be a fling, but I felt so at ease around you. When I was with you, I felt like I could be myself. And you looked at ...e, like I was the center of the universe or something. Carter used to do that, too,” Aron laughed softly.Talking about being a conceited bastard. But it was the truth, Carter mused. And Aron had used to be the center of his universe. His only true friend. The only human being in the whole world he could completely rely on.“I know it’s not easy to. The guilt had come rushing back to me."I really liked you, sir. I thought you liked me too," she confessed in an innocent voice.Overcome by the delicate and self-conscious girl crying before me, I summoned her to my side of the table that divided us. I took a seat myself, and patted the top of my table, asking her to take a seat on my desk to which she complied, still trembling with emotion. Her body was tense, with her knees pinned together and her hands folder over her lap. She tried to. "So why, exactly, are you here, Sergeant Hickory?" Mrs. French leaned forward.Bob's eyes darted away, but came back immediately. It was do or die, so he did."I asked her to marry me," he said softly. "She said I had to ask her at seven minutes after two today." I don't understand," said Mrs. French."She said it's crazy for me to want to marry her ... that things have happened too quickly since we met. But instead of saying no, she just said I'd have to ask her at seven minutes after two today. Samanthasaid, "Well, you must be happy with the way things turned out."Penelope laughed and said, "You mean the way we turned them out." Yeah. I had my doubts but you pulled it off. You certainly picked theright two guys."Penelope said, "It's a talent. You'll find that it gets easier withpractice." Still, it got a little dicey there."Penelope thought for a moment then said, "Yeah, I wasn't expecting thatbusiness with Jack. I'll have to talk to him. He definitely dropped theball. Maybe it wasn't.