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The waitress cah to make her nearly ith pleasure With a smile the woman turned to To to eat?”

“I ate at Bryce’s, thanks, Tanya But a pint would be good”

Sorid of him, then

Abby poured a little of her dressing over her salad and speared a circle of cucu”

“Feel free”

She was self-conscious eating in front of hi if he could hear every chew and s, but refused to let him take away her enjoyment of the food

She washed down the cucuer and put down her fork “Tom … may I call you To to unload the house on an impulse or because someone pressures ain Abby cleared her throat “I’, and that’s all I’ll be talking toat my options, which ame in town, and I intend to cover all my bases” She looked squarely into his eyes “I feel like you’ve a you any favors”

He took a long drink of his beer and put it down on the table “Since we’re hed “Look, maybe I seem a little pushy—”

“A little?” She raised her eyebrows, challenging “You barged into my house an hour after I arrived and now you’ve interrupted my dinner”

His lips curved “Okay, a lot pushy The truth is, I have a thing for old houses and the one you’ve inherited is a doozy It was and still is a landmark and just needs some TLC It’s noa house like that is a dreauy like me”

He was being coaze and the passion in his voice Why couldn’t he have said that earlier? Knowing he had a personal stake in it rather than sins softened her a bit

“All right I’ll consider your offer After looking into all my options, of course”

He turned his glass in a circle on the tabletop, leaving a wet ring “Thank you,” he conceded “It’s just that the house is a real treasure It deserves to finally be looked after If you don’t want to do it, I’d like to There’s so much history there, it would be a shame for it to disappear or be covered up”

“If it’s got such historical significance, maybe it should be a museum”

His eyes widened “The town tried to convince Marian to sell it to them for years She always said no Said it was supposed to stay in the faoes”