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CHAPTER ONE

THE NOW FAMILIAR sound of the toaster popping up woke Merry from a dead sleep She opened her eyes and i between a gap in the curtains of the living room

“Are you sick of roaned, her voice muffled by the pillow It was the sa At some point the ansould be yes But not today, thank God

“Are you kidding?” Grace called from the kitchen “If I kick you out, I lose more than half of the furniture in this place”

“And one very intrusive sofa bed”

“Not to mention my best friend” Grace appeared next to the fold-out couch and held out a“Coffee?”

“God, I love you,” Merry groaned

“You’re using me for my coffee”

“And your apartment”

“Would you drop that?” Grace co me for my hot bod It makes me feel beautiful”

Merry sat up and dared a sip fro before she shook her head “No way I don’t take sloppy seconds And fro you up”

Grace snorted “Maybe Orhim up”

“Here I thought that liery”

Grace had turned to walk away, but she spun back and leaned down to kiss Merry’s head “All kidding aside, I’ as you want Six months A year It doesn’t matter”

“Yeah, I want to sleep in your living room for a year,” Merry scoffed But it was just a front She’d happily sleep on the floor, just to have her friend back They’d lived fifteen hundredher near The living roo door There were no iven up one celibate, coiven in with a sigh andcrossword puzzles on her phone