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Mack had thought so, too, which was one reason he’d ood place to raise a family

"Now I really don’t understand why the rent’s so low," Mary Jo said, frowning

"Like you said earlier," he rushed to explain, "the cost of living is less on this side of Puget Sound"

"I had no idea it would be this ht have overdone it "You can always check out other rentals"

"I could," she agreed, "but I like this one"

Mack relaxed "I understand there’s an eligible bachelor in close proximity, too" The instant the words were out of his ile, and he didn’t want to frighten her off by appearing to pursue anything but friendship He ignored the reproach that nagged at hi manipulative

In any case, his joke didn’t elicit a response Instead, Mary Jo stared out theAfter aanyone for a long while"

It was a veiled warning, a signal He considered offering reassurances, but that would have led to more lies, or half-truths, anyway So he asked, "Would you like to take a look inside?"

"Please"

He wanted to give her an opportunity to get to know hihbors and friends was the way to do that Her brothers weren’t going to appreciate his efforts, but that was their problem

Mack helped her down from the truck "I have the key," he told her "You’d be in Unit B" He opened the door and gestured her inside A sheet lay across the living roo next to it The fresh, clean sreeted them On his mother’s advice, he’d chosen a pale, buttery yellohich worked with the small rooms yet had a subtle warmth

"I only have a few pieces of furniture," Mary Jo said as she moved from one room to the next The kitchen was compact but adequate The two bedrooms were across the hall from each other

"There’s one bath?"

Mack nodded "And a laundry room"

"I don’t have a washer and dryer"

"They come with the place"

Or they would by the time she moved in

"I have my bedroom set, of course, and there’s the crib for Noelle and her changing table" She paused as if calculating what else she could bring "I have a rocking chair, too, but that’s it in the way of living room furniture"

"What about a television?"

Mary Jo shook her head "I had an old TV in ot an extra one you can use"

Again Mack saw her hesitate

"Thanks for the offer, but I’d rather not do that"

"I could sell it to you cheap," he said impulsively

This appeared to interest her "How cheap?"

"Cheap" He came up with a price he felt she could probably afford "Fifty bucks"

Mary Jo laughed "Sold"

"Great! I’ve been wanting to get rid of that piece of junk"

"Mack!"

He held up both hands "Just kidding"

"Good thing you are, buddy"

With the easy banter between them, Mack relaxed "Would you like ot his second renter?"

Mary Jo smiled over at him "Okay, it’s a deal"

"And listen, don’t worry aboutyou" He wanted to make sure Mary Jo understood that

"I’ured that having Mary Jo and Noelle this closeti on Fridayhe didn’t usually do--he splashed on a citrus-scented aftershave, hoping the scent would last long enough for Faith to notice later that evening

If anyone in the office caught a whiff, hewould be worth the possible return After several short phone conversations, Faith had finally agreed to have dinner with him and Troy could hardly wait They had a lot to discuss, but the item at the very top of his list was this purported ain, so he had to let her kno he felt in no uncertain terms