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"We should do a crea ork, which will need to be restored of course We can pick up the deep green from this quilt and create so, the kind you lose your slippers in And then over the bed we can--"

"Babe, easy," Si his arms around Caroline’s waist as she spun every which way in the roo an entirely new roo my way

"I’m so sorry, it’s just a house like this, with this ," she said, slad you think so But it needs a shit ton of work or it will literally fall down around my ears," I replied "You should see how much the roof leaks, or the rotten wood on the porch, or the world of scary that’s in the baseets chilly at night It’s like The Shining down there! And wait till you see how bad the--"

"Yeah yeah yeah, we’ll get to all that That’s what I’m here for For noe just want to enjoy the weekend and your new house This is so exciting!" Caroline said, reaching out and squeezing rip Simon must be happy "And I want to hear all about this librarian"

I laughed, escorted everyone back down the stairs and into the kitchen, where I had cold beer, wine, and snacks waiting We all grabbed so to drink and nibble on, and ended up on the back porch, each nestled into our own rocking chairs Watching the breakers roll in and the chickens scratch around, I entertaineda few drinks, we decided to walk into town rather than drive to get soht out, the sunset a perfect backdrop for a stroll And as alked, two couples plusNot for a roll in the hay; not for a quickie up against a barn door, although those thoughts were tantalizing I’ll ad to be part of a couple out for a stroll

I wanted to have the easy coentle touch on the back of my neck, a whispered word A hand to hold I loved my romance novels, loved the passion and the chase But the part I loved the most? Was when the hero took his woman into his arms and kissed her reverently

Sigh

I kicked absently at the gravel as alked into town, the group’s easy laughter bringing me back to the present Where I had new friends and one old, albeit three hours away I saw the lights of John’s twinkling in the distance, and my mouth watered Pizza

As it turns out, Mimi’s parents have a house in Mendocino, so she was familiar not only with John’s the restaurant, but with John himself

"Mimi! How you doin’, kid?" John called out fro us all over "Your parents were up here a feeeks ago, they toldplans in San Francisco Sounds like it’s going to be so an "oof" when Miuy

"John, this is Ryan, h John’s and grinning at both of them The two shook hands, and introductions were made all around

"So how do you know this one?" he asked Mi his thuo way back," she answered, pointing at Si us all to a corner table

"I don’t know that I’ve been coh to have a usual, have I?" I asked, looking over theof pizza"

"Butcher Block?" Mie And a couple of pitchers of beer, whatever’s on tap tonight," she instructed Everyone looked at one another, and then nodded Pizza and beer all around

The jukebox was going, the place was packed, the food was a to talk to, both smart and funny Simon told me stories all about his latest travels and Caroline described the renovation they had just completed on their new home in Sausalito And the adventures of their new feline family they’d inherited And Mimi? Mimi was a trip She knew half the people in the bar, from family vacations over the years And when Jessica stopped by after she closed down the restaurant she found herself at the table as ith a beer in hand after Mimi literally pulled her off her feet and sat her doith us

After days of near solitude, I felt alrabbed my purse and headed up to the jukebox to take a breather while I picked some new tunes A dance floor opened up out back behind the restaurant, along with additional seating for when it was this crowded I studied the list of songs,, I spied one Mr Hank Higgins perched on a barstool, the luckiest bottle of beer poised between his lips

I watched as his tongue licked at his full lips, catching a drop I watched as he ran his fingers up and down the long neck of the bottle, stroking it absently I watched as his hand closed around the top, twisting ever so slightly before returning for the downstroke And I watched as he cupped the nuts froet to mention they were cashews? From the bowl on the bar? Aw yeah