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"Is this all of it, or do you need toelse in storage earlier thisme a few dollars a month I have to be careful about ain "When do you start with the cleaning co"
Nolan placed his hands on his hips and glared down at her "If you’re really intending to take that job--"
"Of course I a you’ll need to do is ask for a raise"
"Oh, honestly, Nolan," she protested, walking backward "I can’t do that!"
"What you can’t do is live on that aet," he ilely as a cat "Will you listen to ," she said "It just so happens I don’t agree Quit worrying about ht, especially once I start selling articles"
"I’ armor, understand?" he shouted after her "If you think I’ll be racing to your rescue every tiain"
"You’re insultingI’d accept your help" She tried to be angry with hiht insist she was entirely on her own, but all the while he was lecturing her he was doling out her boxes so she wouldn’t have to haul theht riding to her rescue, but he was behaving suspiciously like one
Two hours later, Maryanne was alone in her new apart roodom As she’d told Carol, it wasn’t so bad Boxes filled every bit of available space, but it wouldn’t take her long to unpack and set everything in order
She was grateful for the help Carol, Nolan and the neighborhood teenagers had given her, but noas up to her And she had lots of plans--she’d paint the walls and put up her pictures and buy some plants--to make this place cheerful and attractive To turn it into a ho, and by that tiry Actually faer and exhaustion warred with each other: she was too tired to go out and buy herself so Making the decision about which she should do created a dile proportions
She’d just decided to make do with a bowl of cornflakes, without milk, when there was a loud knock at her door She jerked it open to find Nolan there, wearing grey sweatpants and a sweat-soaked T-shirt He held a basketball under one are white paper sack in his free hand
"Never open the door without knoho’s on the other side," he warned, walking directly into the apartment He dropped the basketball on the sofa and placed his sack--obviously from a fast-food restaurant--on the coffee table "That security chain’s there for a reason Use it"
Maryanne was still standing at the door, inhaling the aroers "Yes, your et testy with me, either I’ve just lost two years of my life on a basketball court I’m too old for this, but luckily what I lack in youth Ithe door For good measure she clipped the chain in place and turned the lock
"A little show of appreciation would go a long way toward soothingon to the sofa He rested his head against the cushion, eyes drifting shut
"You can’t be that s with boys twenty years younger than you," she said lightly She had trouble keeping her eyes off the white sack on the scratchedas he did so "I thought youand reer, which he tossed to her before taking a second for himself Next he set out two cardboard cartons full of hot french fries and two cans of soda
Maryanne sat down beside hirowling "You’d better be careful," she said "You’re beginning to look suspiciously like that knight in shining arry to waste tier and fries within hed, content
"I caround rules," Nolan explained "I think you and I need to get a few things straight"
"Sure," she agreed, although she was fairly certain she knehat he wanted to talk about "I’ve already promised not to pester you"
"Good I intend to stay out of your way, too"
"Perfect" It didn’t really sound all that wonderful, but it seemed to be what he wanted, so she didn’t haveelse?"
Nolan hesitated Then he leaned forward, resting his forear" He turned to her with a frown "I don’t think we should…you know, kiss again"
A short silence followed his words At first Maryanne wasn’t sure she’d heard hi about thisas detached as if he’d introduced the subject of football scores "I want you to know I’ood"
"I’m pleased to hear that" It was an effort not toher eyes
He nodded and cleared his throat, and Maryanne could see he wasn’t nearly as indifferent as he wanted her to believe
"There appears to be a certain a even a glance in her direction "I feel that the sooner we settle this, the less likelihood there’ll be forI need is for you to fall in love withup her arh to indulge in so "If I can’t have your heart and soul, then I’ to joke about"