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“I’h,” Glenda told her

Merry nodded “The divorce is really sad, and I know he’s upset about it, but she cheated, so that is what it is His job is what’s really getting to et where he was and had so ood at his job Working with his in-laas great for hiroo seemed set Until his floosy of a wife decided to blow that all to hell, and now he has no wife, no house, and no job,” Merry said

I felt guilty about eavesdropping, but this explained why she looked upset when she was sitting outside working, and it gave me a little more information

“That’s awful,” Glenda commiserated “What is it that he does?”

“He’s an accountant,” Merry said, breaking off another piece of brownie and bringing it to her lips

That was the ic word I sidled up to the counter and leaned in close

“We’re looking for a new accountant Our guy is about to retire Probably a good thing He’s like a hundred,” I said Merry’s eyes snapped to me, ith shock, and she sed her bite in a deliberate movement I realized that approach wasn’t the best “Sorry I overheard you talking, and youwe needed to look for a new accountant to replace Artie, so it jumped out at uy Tell hiood fit”

I walked away quickly, not even giving Merry the chance to respond I crossed the kitchen right to the pan of cinna She protested as I reached in and grabbed one of the rolls The still incredibly hot pastry sizzled onwas sticky Mom’s cinnamon rolls orth the inconvenience That and I needed anything available to get me out of the conversation with Merry

Getting a cup of coffee, I left the kitchen and hurried to my office where I could close the door and be alone with all hts And there were plenty of the her and her brother I could tell hoorried she was and how ure his life out, and as soon as she mentioned the accountant, the offer just popped out of et a chance to think it all the way through before I said it and had her looking at me like I was a total maniac

But it wasn’t just that I could barely even look her in the eye I needed to snatch my cinnamon bun and run as fast as I could because it was too aard to stand there and look at her with theoff to fantasies of her intis I wanted to do to her

As , it put me in a weird place I wasn’t fa, I felt like I was crossing lines with her left and right

Offering to have Mom interview her brother wasn’t about h I told myself that a dozen times as I ate the cinnamon roll and shot Artie a quick e That offer was purely about business and as going to be beneficial for everybody We really did need the help Artie had been working for Freeer than theno o Artie was the accountant around here even when Dad owned Free like what I’d built it into

Artie had started talking about retiring two years before but had never gotten around to it He was too committed to the company, and we never had anyone lined up to take his place Of everyone working at the co, and he deserved to spend the rest of his life in a recliner so able to tell hiolden years

16

Merry

“What’s the best breakfast to eat before an important interview?” I asked when Brandon ca