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"What do you think will happen if everyone finds out the truth about you?"

A thousand things he didn’t want to consider

"You should trust us"Trust those of us who love you You’re more than your fah without it?

"Running hasn’t worked so far," she said as she walked to the door "Maybe it’s time for a new plan"

ROBERT INVITED CHARITY over to his place for dinner He prorilled steak and the best salads the corner deli had to offer Charity hoped that if they could hang out together, talking without any pressure or her being able to see Josh across the restaurant, that she would beco distance of the hotel, hardly a surprise, in a quiet residential neighborhood on a golf course The horooh it looked a little newer and better kept than the others on the block

"Hi," she said when Robert opened the front door "I brought wine"

"So her hand and drawing her in, then lightly kissing her cheek "You look great"

"Thanks"

She’d worn a short denih-heeled sandals and a pale peach silky wrap shirt Another new purchase designed to show the world, and herself, that she wasn’t always conservative Buying the clothes had started an interesting ripple effect When she’d started paying attention to what she wore, she’d found herself thinking about things like highlights and pedicures She had an appointment for the former next week and would find out if the salon had a nail person while she was there

She’d visited a large discount store and bought a bunch of newa honey-jas in the shower It was fun being a girl, she thought, wondering how she could have allowed herself to forget

"Shall I give you the tour?" he asked

"I would like that"

Theroo roo TV and high-tech sound system could have been at home in a movie theater There was a wet bar tucked into an alcove by the hallway, then the eat-in kitchen was in back The patio beyond held a lush potted garden and a e

"I can’t help it," Robert said "Fire good"

"Those caveman roots are hard to cut" She handed over the bottle of wine

He opened it and poured thelass Once they’d toasted and sipped, they went out onto the patio

"I plants"

"Myout when I was a kid I canand a curse" He pointed to a dozen or so small pots suspended on the fence Each overfloith sorow your own?"

"My ex-fiancée and I did that together Planted the seeds Then, when things didn’t work out, I couldn’t bringI don’t cookin bags of theet your place, you can take the I’ll knohat they are and what to do with them?"

"They have books for that"

"Apparently I’ll need to find a couple"

Was it just her, or was keeping an herb garden born in a previous relationship a little odd? Especially when Robert didn’t use thereat gardener That was nice She shouldn’t be critical This was a guy she wanted to get to know better

"Did your arden?" she asked

"About a quarter acre My parents were older when I was born They’d given up on having a kid Living in a small town, they didn’t have access to a fertility specialist I’m not sure why they never adopted"

He motioned for her to take a seat in one of the wicker chairs on the patio, then he sat next to her

"They were excited to have o away to college, so I went locally Then after I graduated and got one and Mo around"

"That was nice of you"

He shrugged "They were my parents I had to take care of them When Mom passed, I decided to leave town"

"You didn’t have anyone special to keep you there?"

"No I didn’t date a lot Mom preferred me to spend my time with her"

Creepy music played softly in the back of her mind Charity told herself that Robert was siuy, but she wasn’t sure she coh disasters in her past to look for warning signs Was there one here or was she si out the truth wasby her physical reaction to Josh every time she was around hih sadly Were the Roberts of the world destined to be outshone by those ere special?

"I like life here," he said "No complications At least there weren’t until we found there wasseven hundred and fifty thousand dollars "I assuation," she said

"It’s already started The city council is bringing in sorimaced "It’s a lot of money to be accounted for"

"Do you have any ideas about what happened?"

"Not a clue Nor in fro’s wrong"