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They pulled on their clothes James followed her to the door and kissed her, and watched as she blushed and then made her way down the stairs She waved from the sidewalk, then walked briskly away

He closed the door, sluood Wicked good

"Jaone! Could you help , Mrs K"

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHANTAL HAD SHOWN the house twice, and the second couple had seeust now, and Parker had to face facts Her ti down at the kitchen table, the sun streao, she and Ja with half of Gideon’s Cove Nicky had shown off his ih Lavinia had him beat in that area; Parker had held little Luke Beauie sat on Malone’s lap to le with the locals

And every ti at her, a little sether since she’d gone to his apart on the couch after Nicky had fallen asleep one night--the things her boy toy could do with his hands, without even taking off her clothes, should be documented and sent to one further "Another satisfied custoainst her neck, and if she hadn’t been so weak and tre hi the day, Ja on some final touches to spruce up the little house The fresh shingles, green tin roof and the pots of flowers had sweetened the place; it ht not be a jewel, but it definitely looked like a house Not a shack

As for Nicky, well, if he didn’t adore James, he didn’t hate hi her son great presents--the lobsterht and a shovel that folded--he wasn’t exactly co Nick a lot, alht watch a puppy, as if he wanted to like her son but wasn’t quite sure how to

But real life aiting Parker had to get a job Since the ridiculous Ark Angels, she hadn’t ed to send in another idea for a series, and the weekly prodding emails from her editor only made her sweaty The creative part of her brain felt utterly empty

We were your one and onlies, Spike infor--Thanks a lot! the HRs said, pouting She loved working with Lavinia, though; Vin had passedand rereat loves of her life Her cousin adored Nicky, and the two of the pictures of swords andto miss about Gideon’s Cove Lavinia

But Parker missed Mackerly, too; missed Lucy and the sweet little town, the bakery, the Mirabellis And now, she actually had a place to live The rental deal had gone through, according to the eotten earlier

"Nicky!" she called "Coht her an antenna for her Mac, so she no longer had to traipse to the library to go online

Nick ca sharply of wood and paint "Where is it?" her son demanded

"It’s about three blocks froonna be a chef," Nicky announced "Like Daddy Or a spy"

"Or both," James said

"Yeah! Both! Which one’s ht you’d like this one See the slanty ceilings!"

Nicky’s eyes widened in amanner "It’s like a fort! Or jail! Like where Grandpa Harry lives!"

Okay Change of subject called for "And here’s the yard," she said, clicking on another picture Tidy and tiny, filled with flowers

"I could definitely hide there," Nick said "Mommy, put my room back on, okay?"

"Sure" She clicked on the photo of his rooain A whole lot smaller than his roo back?" he asked "I ht, Ja already But he’d be heading back to Rhode Island, too, so they’d still see each other They just hadn’t worked out the particulars

"Yeah, we’re pretty much done," he confirun? Please? I’m really careful," Nicky said

She raised her eyebrows at Ja it, too," she told her son

"Yes! Let’s rabbed Jalanced over his shoulder

"Be careful," she said

"Got it," he answered He sether She sneaked outside, ca on safety glasses "You don’t want to shoot your eye out, so you alear these," he said

"I love these," Nicky answered reverently

"Good Noe’re gonna hold the nail gun up like this--nope, I’ll hold the shingle, okay? You put the gun right there, where the nail’s gonna go…good boy, now squeeze--"

Baun Jaht it "Good job, kid"

"I did it!" Nicky’s face was alight with joy Men and their tools, Parker thought with a smile She raised her camera and took a stealth picture

"Can I do more?" Nicky asked Jaun"

"It ht"

Parker went back inside, feeling a wicked case of the War Her ood for them both

The photo of Nicky’s attic room was still on the computer screen

A jail, like where Grandpa Harry lives

A bit hesitantly, Parker picked up her phone

James hadn’t mentioned Harry lately She herself hadn’t talked to her father for a while Well Being a et phone calls pretty liberally She figured she’d give it a shot

"Harry Welles, please? This is his daughter speaking"