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He shook off that worry It was years away, and lots of people worked remotely these days

“Well, that’s still the prevailing theory around town You’re going to find more and oing to be happy about the ru”

“I told you why I was there” But no one would believe hiht about it However, he couldn’t see hoould do any real har to have dinner on Friday”

He thought he ht have to avoid her entirely until he showed up on her doorstep He would do it so she had zero opportunity to back out of the date She was a polite woman If he showed up with flowers and dressed nicely, she probably wouldn’t be able to send him away

He turned the boat, giving it a little as Up ahead he saw the turnoff that would take them to Petrie Island It was marked by a massive bald cypress whose base lay in thefar above into the sky

He wondered if Lila would like it out here He liked the quiet Even when he’d lived in New Orleans, he’d missed this place, missed the calm he found here

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? She doesn’t seem like your type”

“I have a type?”

A thoughtful look crossed Roxie’s face “I guess I don’t really know You haven’t dated since I took this job”

“I haven’t dated since I brought Noelle back here,” he ad I had on her Even after we settled down I couldn’t find the time She’d lost her mom I didn’t lovesomeone in to replace her Noelle had to know she came first”

“And that is why you’re going to have all the Mirandas and Annies chasing after you You’re a good man I like the new doc What are we supposed to call her? Nurse Daley? That seeet used to it Anyway, I met her the other day out at Guidry’s and she seeuess that’s why I don’t see the two of you together”

“Maybe on’t be I don’t know her all that well, but I’ht before He knew there was a soft woman under all her armor A mystery He’d told her the truth about that She was asince he’d had one to solve “She’s coies for it I like that she’s forthright”

“I liked that about her, too I don’t get all the Southern stuff, to tell you the truth Like why does every woman in town bless everyone’s hearts? It’s weird I’ve been here for a while and I still don’t get it”

He would have to get her a translation guide “When a Southern woman blesses your heart she ood with the polite passive aggression” He bet Lila would si behind social niceties He kind of liked that He hadn’t given one for his deputy Like hirown up here Not even close “Do you miss New York?”

“Often” She stared out at the water “And then I remember how crappy it could be I’et the people” She see of people, I haven’t ht I’d prettyabused?”

He was going to have to figure out the na Nurse Daley did feel weird “Lila doesn’t knohat it’s like out here She also had a friend as abused by her husband” He hesitated to say anything else It was her story to tell “I’ that’s not there, but I think we should check it out just in case”

“Absolutely,” Roxie agreed “Also, it’s not like I have anything better to do This is thethat’s happened toSWAT in New York was not relaxing I like the fact that the ets is when I do cardio” She sat up “Is that e’re looking for?”

There was a dock up ahead, another flat-bottom boat moored to the side The Petrie family relied heavily on boats