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‘It’s a place called North Mountain,’ Holly had replied ‘I’ve rented a cabin’

‘You’re going to spend a feeeks in a cabin?’ Belinda repeated, the way so to spend a feeeks on the Moon?’

‘That’s right It’s very luxurious There’s a Jacuzzi, a huge stall shower, a big fireplace in the living room…’

Belinda snorted ‘Try the Waldorf It’s got all that, plus room service’

Holly did her best to offer a cheerful little laugh

‘I need a change of routine,’ she said ‘ A real one, before I start on the next book You kno hard I’ve been working this year, and there’s a whole bunch of ideas I want to try before I begin writing…’

And then she stopped, because she knew she was babbling, because she could tell froant face that she knew it, too

‘Poor darling,’ Belinda crooned ‘You really do sound exhausted’

‘Oh, I am,’ Holly said quickly, because it was true She was stressed

That hat she told herself, at first

She’d been working hard She had been for the past seven years—well, six years, ever since she and Nick had been divorced Her parents had wanted her to co had happened but so had happened, and Holly wasn’t about to pretend otherwise The last vestiges of girlhood had fallen away the day she took off her wedding ring So she’d explained, as gently as possible, that going home just wasn’t possible She’d refused her father’s offer of financial support the same as she’d refused Nick’s, and set out to create a life for herself

And she’d done it

The little column for the Green Mountain Daily had blossoazine, and it led to the contract for her first cookbook Holly had found herself on the fast track, and she loved it She could put in six hours in the kitchen, another two at the coer to start all over again At least she had, until a couple of weeks ago

The first tiht with a knot in her belly and another in her throat, she’d figured it was a sign she’d put too many capers into the Putanesca