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I walked in and my mouth dropped open

I fell in love with the house instantly

Before iant, prow-shaped bank of s looking out across the valley The place wasn’t huge, but it was definitely big enough to iarage To the left was an open-plan kitchen with a breakfast bar A separate dining area held a table Dishes littered the counter, and a s of empty beer bottles stood on the bar, which separated the kitchen from theroo the other

Forgetting all about the men, I walked slowly forward to take in the view Directly in front of the house was a broad reens lower on the slope The valley lay beyond that, stunning and sweeping Here and there I saw other houses, a inal far vaulted all the way to the second story Behind ainst the open railing, and I couldn’t help but ser had never beenroom needed attention, too The leather couches seemed to be relatively new, as did the rest of the furniture, but for all the care he took to keep things clean it could’ve been a frat house There was even an empty pizza box on the coffee table

I heard a beer top pop and turned to find the usting as the Arer asked

“I don’t remember that,” Horse replied, his expression innocent

“Just be glad you have Marie around Otherwise you’d be livin’ this way, too”

“I was never gross like this”

“It’s not that bad,” I said, sotten I honestly couldn’t believe how gorgeous his place was I had no idea what the basement looked like, but it could be a spider hole and I’d still be thrilled, just for the location Not to et a house like this? I mean, it had to cost a fortune How much land do you have?”

“Fifteen acres,” he said, a shadow crossing his face “I bought it in March Used my share of Mom’s estate for the down payer’s mother, Karen, had been disabled in a car accident a couple years before Ion disability by the tiet the sacrifices she et the betrayal on her face when Iher stepson to jail

“What the hell? Why was she living so poor if she could afford so like this? Why did you let her?”

His expression darkened

“They finally settled,” he said “After all those years, fkin’ insurance company finally offered us a settlement Too late It went into the estate and I used ht

“When?”

“Just about a year ago”

“And Zach got the other half?” I asked, swaying “He’s gothis child support?”

“Sounds like it,” Ruger replied, his voice tight “Remember what you askedZach does? Mo but bills Estate planning wasn’t a priority”