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Jesus, Viv, get a grip

Caroline watched with raised eyebrows as I said, "Pretty sure Clark’s here I’ll go get the door"

I hurried down the stairs, spying the familiar outline on the other side of the lace It had been a long week Stomach in knots, I practically jumped the last two steps, flew across the floor, and wrapped my hand around the doorknob Once there, I finally paused to breathe What would I find on the other side? Familiar and Funny Friend Clark? Or Distant and Detached Clark?

I opened the door He filled it Tall, dark, and tweedy I s about it His brown eyes war me in and then, as usual, dropped down to scan ainst the doorfras, clad in the shortest cutoffs I owned I didn’t really plan out ot to my stomach and its jewelry, his eyes widened I wore a T-shirt casually knotted in the back to bare my navel He stopped soers play with lasses farther up his nose The brief perusal felt like hours And when his eyes finally made it back up to mine, they arm and kind and happy to see me But then they beca in order before the contractor arrives?"

My stomach rolled over He was still pissed

"Good to see you too, Clark Co hiers touchedin a circle and exa the work I’d done this week He raised an eyebrohen he saw the Post-it I’d stuck on the loose newel

"Don’t start I’ if they can restore it, not replace it Happy?"

"Yes, that’s exactly the word I’d use to describe h forhim from the door "So, hoas your week?" I asked

"Busy," he said, now exa the wood-framed mirror in the entryway "Did you scratch this?"

"No," I huffed, crossing to stand next to hi the bottom frame

"This scratch wasn’t here before," he insisted, and I pushed into his side

"If you’llabout," I answered, squinting to see what he orrying The old fra? I tried leaning over his arm, but it was in my way, so I ducked underneath and raised up on my tippy toes I brushed his hand aside and exaer had just been