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CHAPTER ONE

Lake Benson’s midlife crisis lasted exactly twenty-four hours In that tierie shop All things considered, he was glad the crisis hadn’t lasted longer

“I told you,” whined his little sister “I can do thisbecause you’re bored and don’t knohat to do with yourself”

“That’s not the point,” Lake told her as he looked up at the sign on the front of the shop “The point is, you obviously needmoney My money”

He hadn’t even set foot inside the shop and already he could see a problem

“That”—he pointed at the sign—”has to go”

Rainne twisted a strand of her long hair, a dead giveaway that he wasn’t getting the whole story

“I can’t get rid of the sign,” she said at last “It’s part of the town’s heritage”

Lake folded his are his hairy backside

“You also didn’t tell me how isolated this place is,” he said

“It’s busy during the tourist season—you know, summer”

For Scotland that was about teeks in August

“And you neglected to mention that we have competition”

He cocked his head towards the lingerie shop, which sat opposite theh street Unlike the shop that had eaten all of his money, the one over the road actually looked like people would buy lingerie in it