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"Hi, guys," Honor said

"Hello, Petunia," Dad answered, taking off his baseball cap and running a hand through his hair Mrs Johnson growled, which was not uncoood here?" Honor asked

"Of course! Why would you even ask such a question, Honor Grace Holland?" Mrs J de accent She slammed a pot on the stove "Dinner will be ready in twenty ry, do you think?"

"I don’t know, Mrs J Give him a call And I, uh, I have plans," she said

"Good," Dad said, his face flushing all the et out with friends, sweetheart"

"Yes Mrs J, will you watch Spike tonight?" I e proposal

The housekeeper’s face melted into a sel! Your fur is alive us a kiss!"

Honor floated up to her little suite Since she was the only Holland kid left at home, she’d appropriated Faith’s old roo room She did a lot of work there, and also watched TV, s that she hadn’t gotten to during the workday

Going into her bedroom, she opened her closet and frowned at the sea of navy blue and gray Hmm Her clothes were either neat-as-a-pin business attire, or jeans and a Blue Heron sweatshirt, and she didn’t want to be wearing either if Brogan was about toyou know

Her hands were sweating

I have so important to tell you, and I want to do it in person I hope--I think--it’ll make you really happy

What else could it be?

Froe sone, and Honor still missed her They’d been so close, and so alike, both practical with a healthy dose of yearning thrown in: Honor for a fae; Mom for travel and possibly a career, which Honor had in spades Funny, that They both wanted what the other had

Moht Yes She definitely would’ve

She showered, shaved her legs, an’s house, she’d have to call, or Dad would call the chief of police, Levi Cooper, who happened to be e later on Put on a pink dress she’d worn to a wedding a few years ago, added a gray cardigan so she didn’t look quite so dressed up, but still suitably feminine Honor looked at her shoe options Flats and a couple of pairs of basic pu by Faith’s and borrow soot into her car, shivering at the cold Drove down the Hill into the tiny village Tonight, it looked hts in the s of the houses and storefronts that ringed the town green, Crooked Lake dark and vast behind The sky was a swirl of stars O’Rourke’s was typically full, as the little pub was open year-round, the only place in town that was, and she could hear laughter and music from inside

Soroh roht would be different

Brogan’s Porsche was already in the parking lot

This is it, she told herself, wishing abruptly she’d told her sisters to coht But an had asked the the question live and in person That would be just like hi to hi to the nine books she’d read recently on understanding the male psyche

She touched her pearls for luck, then opened the door to O’Rourke’s "Hey, Honor," said Colleen from behind the bar "Wow, you look nice!"

"Check you out," said Connor at the sa the O’Rourke twins, who ran the bar

Brogan aiting for her, that knowing, incredibly sexy half smile on his face

Oh, Lordy Could it be true? That in just a few uy? She s "Great to see you," he said, bending to kiss her cheek He took her coat and hung it up, ever the gentleman, and, oh,a lot

Sos were saying so about assu running along the bottoood show Whatever It was hard to forht at thethe sensible one, the dependable, calht, she was just a wohts ca solidly was Brogan’s hand on her back, war alone at a table, her heart did a strange flop, and for a second, Honor felt a little surge of sye probleether Dana often mocked happy couples But Dana was her best friend, and she’d be happy for Honor She would set aside her own issues

In fact, an had invited her here for just that reason, to see the whole thing You knohat? That would explain why Dana had been a little hard to reach, a little distant lately She’d been afraid to blow the surprise

Then Brogan held a chair at the sa, and Dana looked up at Honor and gave her a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes

Okay, that washuh That little warning that scrolled across the screen was now acconal

She sat down So did Brogan

Later, Honor would wish she’d brought her dog, who could have attacked either Brogan or Dana, hopefully both, biting theht have even peed on soy A poison, industrial-waste, evacuate-the-area kind of fog Honor could hear her heartbeat crashing in her ears, caught Dana looking her up and down, iret her choice of outfit Dana herself wore a yelloraparound shirt that showed her tiny waist and great boobage,Honor feel overdressed and prim at the same time Dana’s dark hair was a little different than the last tio? Three? Well, Dana was a hairdresser Her hair changed all the tith for years Alice in Wonderland hair, Dana called it She was always urging Honor to let her cut it

Honor cleared her throat Probably should be thinking about so one, was trying to shoulder its way in, but Honor wouldn’t let it Where was the happy, rosy glow? Shea slass of wine she didn’t re Red Pinot noir, Californian, a little too much pepper for her taste, better at first sip than upon finish, when it left a burning sensation in the back of her throat

Over at the bar, Lorena Creech bellowed so about beddy-bye tih Someone said, "Thanks, mate," in an accent not usually heard around here, and all the while, Dana’s dark eyes held a gleahed Brogan talked, shrugging, s Little scraps of their words came to her, and Honor are that she’d tipped her head and was s Or, at least her ht’ve been a grimace She wasn’t sure