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"Use it tofor yourself," Gloria instructed "That’s why I got the rose color I doubted you’d be telanced ht back a giggle at the thought of hi a rose sweater

We’d barely done aith the wrapping paper and ribbons when the doorbell rang Gloria insisted on answering the door herself Awoman "Owen, you remember Rebecca Middleton, don’t you?"

He stood, and out of uest was tall and thin, with the kind of build that probably hadof a beanpole in her teens She held a loaf-shaped object wrapped in colored cellophane, and she wasn’t the least bit shy about giving Owen the eye "Here, I brought you some of Mom’s banana bread for Christht I don’t knohat came over me"

Gloria thanked her for the bread, then very pointedly thanked her for stopping by before gently escorting her to the door "At least that girl has finally filled out," she said as she returned to the parlor "She’s improved, but she had a lot of room for improvement" I decided I quite liked Gloria

"Please don’t send that banana bread back with h of it over ere in school that I think I developed an allergy to it"

The next ti Christ around ical shortcuts, and that hy she’d declined help Owen answered the door and soon returned bearing a fruitcake tin and bright red cheeks "It was Stephanie Heller," he said to James "She asked me to tell you to have a ht"

"At this rate, we’ll have baked goods to last us until Easter," James remarked drily That only intensified the flush on Owen’s cheeks

I went along with Owen the next ti Soon after he opened the door to reveal a hter, he put his ar me as a human shield I could hardly blanized her as the one who’d thrown the first cookie in the fight The way the daughter stood with her eyes cast to the ground, I got the ied her over by the ear Mother see the local hot catch The chain aroundto useme as a shield

"Mrs Ellis," he said, his voice sounding tight "How nice of you to stop by I’ht now"

"Oh, that’s okay," she simpered In that moment she rehbors I’hter, who thrust out a napkin-covered basket Owen kept his arht around ain

"Are you going to be here long?" the daughter asked stiffly As bashful as she looked, she ht have been the perfect match for Owen, aside from the scary ized for all but attacking Owen the night before

"No, we’re going back to the city to by" He barely waited until they stepped back fro it Then he shuddered "That wohter hasn’t snapped yet"

"Who was it this ti in his study

"Mrs Ellis And as her daughter’s naet a word in edgeith herlike?"

I checked under the napkin "Blueberry muffins"

"We should have you to visit more often, my boy," James said

We’d just sat down for Christht ere out of neighbors with et up

"I’ll take care of this one," Ja her to keep her seat "I hope this time it’s cookies"

But a ency to his voice that told er women after Owen