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“I can’t tell you.”
Shit. She looked serious. “Hey, it’s okay. Is something wrong?”
She shook her head, but her eyes glimmered with tears that hadn’t been there a second ago.
“Merry,” he murmured, folding her into his arms. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. I’m stupid. I just…”
He kissed the top of her head, distracted for a moment by the scent of her. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
“Okay.” She nodded and pulled back. “I’m sorry. It’s just that I may have run over a mailbox.”
At first he had no idea what she was talking about and shook his head blankly. “That doesn’t sound so awful.”
“But it is. I was meeting with the board, and I was upset when I left, and I knocked down a mailbox, and they thought it was vandalism. And then…”
Holy shit, she was talking about his grandfather’s mailbox. “Um. If it was an accident, then you have nothing to feel bad about. Just tell Kristen, and…” Crap. “Just tell the board.”
>
Merry groaned. “I can’t. That whole sign thing? The so-called vandalism? That was me, too.”
He couldn’t help it. His jaw dropped open and he stared at her like she’d lost her mind. Because she obviously had. “Are you kidding me?”
“Oh, God, I knew I shouldn’t have said anything!” She covered her face and shook her head. “Why did I say that?”
“Merry, why would you have made that sign?”
“I just needed them to call an emergency meeting! To take this all more seriously. They treat the Providence Historical Trust like it’s an excuse to get together and rehash old arguments. I needed to give them a reason to get serious. That’s all it was. I did my best not to make it scary.”
Too many thoughts went through his head. Anger that he might be blamed for what she’d done. Shock that she’d even done it. But also a big helping of amusement. She looked like she was confessing a murder. Poor Merry.
“See?” she whispered. “I’m pretty terrible. And all for a little money.”
“Oh, Jesus, Merry. You didn’t do that for money. You did it for Providence, and you know it. You’re in love with this damn place.”
“I don’t think that makes it better,” she whispered.
Good God, this woman was fucking cute. “No? Well, maybe my surprise will make you feel better.”
That wiped the worry from her face. “Oh, my God. Yes! What is it?”
“Come on. We need to take my truck for the first leg, then you’ll be good with walking?”
She looked down at her tennis shoes. “I’m always in comfortable shoes. It’s one of my hottest secrets.”
“Ha. After last night, I don’t think that’s even close.”
She slapped his shoulder and nearly collapsed in laughter. “You’re awful.”
“How was it with Grace last night? I can’t help but notice I still have my balls.”
“Congratulations! I think she’s cool with it. I told her you were okay and I’d like to keep you around for a little while.”
“Yeah? I’m okay? High praise.” He opened his truck door for her and picked her up to slide her onto the seat. But first, he slid between her knees and kissed her. “You were very naughty last night,” he whispered.
“I was not! That was you!”
