Page 20 (1/2)

Norreat guy, but there was so in her tone, in the way she stared so intently

"And that’s bad why?" he asked

"How much of the town do you own?" she asked "I know about the hotel Do you own this building? More houses?"

"Want to see a profit and loss statement? My accountant prepares one every quarter"

"No Of course not But you’re rich"

"By soareat in bed" She sucked in a breath "Well, I can’t say about the ‘in bed’ part, but you obviously knohat you’re doing and you do it well And you’re nice"

Her tone told hi to compliment him The last statement had come out like an accusation

"Okay," he said neutrally

She stood, so he rose She faced him

"It’s so not fair Why can’t this be easier?" she asked

He shoved his hands in his pockets Answering the question would be less of a proble about "I, ah…"

"Sure For you," she gruet whoever you want You practically have wo delivered by room service"

"I don’t do that"

"I know I didn’t mean that, exactly It’s just you could if you wanted And you don’t, whichabout?"

She glared at hienetic? Kar bad in a previous life?"

He stood there, feeling helpless "There’s nothing wrong with you" She was pretty and s that he could do just about anything

"Isn’t there? Look at Robert Isn’t he nice? Cal to settle down But there’s not a scrap of chemistry I couldn’t do it I tried, but I couldn’t do it And he would fall in the column of my more successful relationships My first boyfriend hit me Just once, but he did it"

Josh’s hands curled into fists "Where is he now?" he asked, his voice low and angry

"It was ten years ago," she said "I walked out and never saw hiain But still It made s account Talk about feeling stupid The last one…" She sighed "I’ And now there’s you I like you I like you a lot Which means all I can think is if I like you then what on earth is wrong with you?"

With that, she turned and left

Josh stood in the center of his office, trying not to grin like a fool She liked hi foolish and exposed and a thousand other things that weren’t very pleasant Her head was spinning, her chest felt tight and if she were the type to give in to tears, she would be having a breakdown right here on the sidewalk

Instead she keptat people on the street She saw Morgan in his bookstore and waved at the old rinned back

Now that was a sirit her teeth She understood all the elean were friends They said hello, talked about the weather and went on with their lives No co with her head

What had she been thinking, telling Josh she liked hih school? "Tell Bobby I like him, but only if he says he likes me first"

She was confused, upset and unsettled

Despite the fact that her mother hadn’t been theshe was still alive so that she could ask for her advice As silly as it sounded, right now she could use a hug froood

She walked into City Hall and started up the stairs At the top, she passed Marsha, walking out of the break room with a cup of coffee

"Hoas your lunch?" the mayor asked

"Good Pia’s always fun"

"She is She was a bit of a terror when she was younger" Marsha frowned "What’s that expression? She was a ine it