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Her eyes bored right through hiarden,” she said “Yes, but—”

She pushed open the old oak doors to the bright sunlight and overgrown arden

“Holy—” he breathed, stepping up beside her

“The greenhouse needs to be repaired, and the trees, bushes, flowers and weeds all need to be dealt with” She pointed to the worst of the the all “There—” she indicated the center cluster of kudzu under the cypress “—is a bird feeder and bench under that ain The back wall—” she swept her arraffiti had been cleaned “—needs to be fixed and we think we need some security cameras—”

“Security? Why?”

“High school students like to break in, cause so to be nonchalant But she could tell he was reading the words they couldn’t quite get off the back wall

Her whole body burned with embarrassment

“High school students did that?” he asked, pointing to the wrecked greenhouse, and she nodded “Seems like a matter for the police”

“We’ve tried that,” she said And that was all she said She wasn’t giving this man more than what he absolutely needed

His eyes scanned the property as if he were putting price tags on everything

And she didn’t like that one bit

He was probably wondering what could be stolen, despite the tour he’d had through the shabby manor, stripped of its antique furniture and silver Those diaot sported and Savannah’s own ss of value left But Matt didn’t know that

“Looks like a reasonable job,” Matt said, staring at the mess “I’ll take it”

Incredulous, she swiveled on her heel to gape at hi her arms over her chest “Don’t you want to knowsituation?”

His cheeks turned red and he nodded “Of course”

“First,” she said “I have a few questions of my own”

“Fire away” He held his ar the lean muscles in his stomach

“Where are you from?”

“St Louis I’ve been…working with an architecture firm there for the last few years”

“What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to ignore a bead of sweat trickling down the side of Matt’s strong, bronzed neck