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“So halt and she finally opened her eyes The sight that greeted her was like sosaw puzzles that Aunt Mabel would spend the winter putting together Toffee-colored wood gables were topped with a thick layer of snow, and neat wooden railings ran around the front porch and upstairs balcony “It looks like an enorerbread house”
“Thanks,” heout of the downstairs s like golden inquisitive eyes made Piper uneasy “And it looks like somebody’s already hoht have a live-in girlfriend
“Remote instructions” He lifted up his cell phone for her to see “This is all I need to activate the heating, lights, and intruder alar’s ready to go when I turn up cold and hungry”
“I wondered who you were texting after we alirlfriend or so” It was a loaded stateaze burned into her and she felt a little quiver skitter up her spine “I don’t have a girlfriend It’s not so ter to up the stakes on our deal and persuadeto answer that; she couldn’t because she didn’t knohat on earth to say in reply “So,” she coughed lightly “What happens if the power’s out like it is down the road? I don’t suppose your reood in that case”
“There are backup generators, three of the any chances, then?”
“I can’t afford to because it’s rented out most of the year I don’t want any bad reviews of the place on the internet because of soreat pride in offering a deluxe rental experience”
“I guess it doesn’t come cheap, either”
“No, it’s ridiculously expensive, but that doesn’t slon business There still seem to be plenty of executives out there withsome of it off them”
“IT millionaires?”
“They co, you naency deals with it”
“Weeds out any trailer trash, too, I’ll bet”
He laughed “The security deposit tends to do that We’re lucky it’s vacant for the next week There was a last-minute cancellation”
“They ed “It happens, life happens, and soive up one of their five holidays a year They had insurance, and there’s always next season Hopefully the housekeeper will have made it in to clean up after the last people left”
“So it’s your cabin, but you never actually live in it?”
“It’s easier to stay in Passion Creek when I’etif I put in a late shift at the Railway Tavern and I’ve had more than one beer”
“You’re nutty A h it in a dive over a fried chicken takeout in Florida I can’t begin to think of whatlike that”