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Abby forced a smile “Maybe some other time, once I’ve had a chance to look around But thanks for the directions, Bill You’ve been a real help”
He got the e and stood back, his lips pursed at the polite but clear indication that she wanted to be on her way Abby lifted a hand in farewell as she pulled away fro that she couldn’t hide forever Sooner or later—probably sooner, once Bill started the proverbial ball rolling—the people of Jewell Cove would know that the Foster ed to her And if Abby knew anything about small towns, they’d all want to knohat she planned to do with it; they’d all have suggestions and want their piece of the pie, wouldn’t they?
She rested her elbow along the openas she slowed co until somewhere around the New Brunswick border, but now there was nothing but blue skies overhead as she crawled down Main Street
Her first impression of the town had been that it rees on Nova Scotia’s South Shore—a cheerful kaleidoscope of colorful homes and businesses above a small but vibrant harbor That was fairly accurate, she realized, as fishing and pleasure boats bobbed on the surface of the cove She slowed to watch a restored schooner slide effortlessly into the harbor to dock The water glittered in the suy scent of the sea filled her nostrils
She paused at the one and only traffic light The town looked like so storefronts and pots of cheerful geraniu was ever as perfect as it see, quaint toell-tended flower beds and wreaths on the doors and little girls in pigtails walking down the sidewalk eating cones of ice cream Abby couldn’t help but think these little toere painted so cheerfully as a foredy that always seemed to surround the Resilience in the face of adversity She’d seen enough of that growing up,from small town to small town
Bill’s directions had been to follow Main Street to the end and turn on to Blackberry Hill Road, and from there up the mountain to Foster Lane The only problehway again She’d have to guess at how far a “couple of miles” was and hope she didn’t miss it
She lifted her chin and let out a breath of relief as the sign for Blackberry Hill appeared If she had her way, the house was going on the market and the sooner the better She’d be free of this o back to Halifax with a clear conscience Noher e-mail and voice mail every feeeks
She flicked on her blinker and made the turn
Tom Arseneault put down the phone and sat back in his chair, his brorinkled in as, lately, a constant state of worry
Everyone said the econo He’d yet to see the proof That was the second job he’d bid on that had gone under AAs it was, he was nearly finished with a base on the immediate schedule was Jess Collins’s back deck at her shop Seeing as Jess was family, Tom didn’t stand to make a lot of profit from that deal
When the phone rang again he al lately was to give hi the incessant chime of Beethoven’s Fifth—his assistant Cassidy’s attempt at office hu yet another sick day He picked up
“Arseneault Contracting,” he said
“Toie”
His aunt He relaxed in his chair and crossed an ankle over his knee “Hey, Aunt Meggie What can I do for you?”
Meggie didn’t waste time on pleasantries “I have some news about Josh”