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D arcy had been on plenty of tours in her ti boxes--a thrilling journey into the world of cardboard--and a company devoted to the production of thread She’d seen cheese being made, tractors, tires, microchips, and mini-blinds But never wine Wine seeo pants and a black tank top, then carefully slathered on sunscreen Sootten incredibly pale Unfortunately the lack of color only emphasized the dark circles under her eyes Another couple of nights without sleep and even her concealer wouldn’t work
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to sleep, it’s that the second she closed her eyes, she felt theain Her wrists throbbed as she rehtened her throat and left her unable to breathe Far better to give up sleep than face the de on sandals, she hurried downstairs where she found Joe waiting in the kitchen There were no other Marcellis around Just Joe sitting at the kitchen table and a telanced up fro"
He looked neither friendly nor happy to see her, so she nodded a greeting and beelined for her ht aingerly took the entertain on in the world?" he asked from behind the paper
"I already did a half hour of CNN while I was getting ready," she said "That’s about as much current events as I can stand Besides, if it’s really i"
He set down the paper and raised his eyebrows He’d showered and shaved His hair was h to carry the weight of the world on theood Capable
A plate of Danish sat between the"
The dull ache of acid in her stomach told her she should eat a lot, but she couldn’t "I don’t ren a contract?"
"You’re too skinny" He reached for his"It’s not healthy"
"I’m not sure I care about your opinion Let me think" She sipped her coffee "Nope Don’t care"
"Is this a chick thing? Do you want to look like a super?"
"Why does it matter?"
"I’m curious"
"And that impacts me how?"
He leaned back in his chair "Is it because it’s , or are you naturally unpleasant all the time?"
"I’m naturally unpleasant"
One corner of his mouth twitched in an al?"
"Are you going to dog on ued than frustrated
"Probably I don’t have a lot to keep ood stress eater I wish I were I understand it’s very coht of food"
His gaze slipped to her too-skinny ared She knew she’d lost weight in the past year or so Too ht "I’ve had stuff on my mind"
He returned his attention to the paper "Brenna should be here in half an hour Your Secret Service agents wanton the tour, too"
His flat tone told her all she had to know about his enthusiasotten his answer, he’d dis with exciteht of the winery tour"
He raised his head "Sooing to do my job Never question the chain of command" He pushed the plate of Danish toward her "Eat one"
"I’hed heavily, then picked up a cheese Danish "Fine I’ll try Although Yoda said there is no try There is do, or do not Or was it do or not do? I can never ree Nor did he offer an opinion
"Star Wars," sheshe said, "The second one The Empire Strikes Back My personal favorite of the first three"
He returned his attention to the paper
"You’re not very friendly," she said
"Do you need me to be?"
"It wouldn’t kill you to ize? Oh, Joe, I’ular life Silly ed it for a different month"
"I heard you were a pain in the ass," he said
The words
"But you’re not a victim," he added "Good for you"
Not sure what to say to that, she reached for another Danish and tore it in half
"Did you fight theure out he meant the kidnappers "Yes, but there were four of theood head butt though" And she hadn’t allowed the fear to control her When it got bad at night, she reher than you look," he said
She wasn’t sure what thatfriendly
"Hoas it?" he asked