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“What do you think?” She sounded a little nervous

He nodded “I think it’s good You’re right about the yellow” He glanced around “I just hope you can find what you need—and quickly,” he added with a murmur

They turned a corner in the warehouse and Matteo stopped walking The shades of yelloere overwhel And it seeether No, across wide display units there were rugs, bedding, vases, lamps and ornaments all in complementary shades

Phoebe let out a little gasp and walked away, running her hand over a large dark gray rug, with pale yellow circles “This is perfect,” she said, nodding to the assistant “We’ll take it” Shebreath over to a wooden cabinet with upright rolls of fabric She pointed to a pale gray and yellow stripe “I’ll have this one And the one next to it with duck-egg blue and yellow” She turned to face the wooden cabinets behind them “I also want the pale yellow and cream pattern over there It will be perfect for the master bedroom”

Her bright pink coat swirled around her as she picked up bedding, ornaray, blue and yellow When she’d finished loading the trolley she waved Matteo over to another part of the warehouse “Let’s pick soh a sheaf of prints held behind plastic frames

The colors stood out, but it was clear that Matteo didn’t have Phoebe’s designer eye She let out a little squeal as she found a yellow sunflower sins She flicked on and found a gold broderie anglaise design, some pale blue cornflowers, and a beautiful beach scene with a turquoise sea

By now, it seeotten her apparent bad le ti “This is perfect for the back roolass orna on a table with a view of Mecox Bay in the background” She turned and pointed at a pale blue patterned fabric “And this will fraht shade of blue And look at these ceras in blue and cream They’ll be perfect to dress the kitchen” She turned to face hioing to be dual sinks, deep white Belfast sinks, with a thick dark wood countertop That, along with some replacement handles, will set the kitchen off perfectly Oh, and I’ve ordered solanced in her diary “They arrive tomorrow We’ll need to have a chat about access”

Matteo nodded She was like a firecracker Once she started, she just couldn’t stop The enthusiasm just brimmed out of her Part of him wished he’d met Phoebe Gates somewhere else Anywhere but the house She had a warlow And an honesty about her that was so in the people he normally came across

But this was business This was fa else The faet rid of all reminders And that hat Phoebe would be now, because he would forever associate her with the Hamptons house

He dug into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys

“Here, I got these cut for you I’d be grateful if you could ive all the trade personnel the access that they need”

She held out her hand then paused “What about the alarm?”

Of course He’d forgotten about that “Give me your phone”

“What?”

She looked surprised He smiled as he pressed the keys into her outstretched hand “It’s a digital alarm, remember? I’ll put the app and the code into your phone”

She gave hiers brushing against his as she handed it over He ignored the tingle—that little acknowledgement of warmth as skin contacted with skin For the second time in as ement and focused on the phone

It was more outdated than he would have expected Most business people he worked with had the latest version of everything After a few seconds he frowned “No signal We’ll need to go someplace else so I can input the code”

He paused for a second as he looked at the loaded trolley There really was no roo else “Are you done?”

She bit her lip and shook her head “I just need to pick some leather” She counted down on her list “There are seven sofas to be recovered, and twenty chairs”