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“That’s a lot of pets for a single wo a new place I wouldn’t try to take care of so ets lonely,” Carlene said wistfully

Grant frowned, the co him wonder for the first time if Zoe had so many pets for that very reason “She just has a soft spot for anio check on the bird”

“All right”

As he walked down the hall toward the bedroom with the parrot, he wondered what in the hell he was supposed to do about Carlene’s whipped creaht of no-strings sex, but it didn’t ring true Maybe Carlene was the lonely one Whatever her ht or any other night

And, damn it, he should have realized that before he ever asked her out He kept telling hiood i frohts Grant rushed back in the roo on the bird

Carlene stood on a kitchen chair, yelling loud enough to be heard in the next county When she saw Grant she launched herself at hih the air “Mouse It was ahim “He ran over my foot He was brown and white and…” She trailed off with shuddering breaths

A brown and white et you a glass of water”

“Water?” She juain “There” She pointed at the corner “He’s over there”

Grant made a dash for Bud, but the hamster scurried under the cabinets Grant turned around Carlene was no longer screa, but she was back on top of the chair

“It’s okay It’s just Zoe’s pet hamster”

She made an obvious bid for composure “Your friend keeps rodents for pets?”

“Well, actually it was ot down on his knees and peered under the cabinet “Do youout of his cage like this”

The look of horror that cast her features in stark relief could not be feigned “I’d like to, I really would I don’t want him hurt, even if he is a…” She sed “A rodent But I can’t I’m sorry”