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The new beard he hadn t yet shaved looked odd with his expensive clothes and accessories, but she decided
she liked it. The brown suited him.
Hey, hairy man, she said with a smile as she crossed the living room. I fixed a rhinoceros earlier
that made me think of you. It has a big, hard, long& personality.
Harry didn t smile. Instead of offering a hug or a word of greeting, even, he just nodded once. I need
to speak with you.
Ginnie got closer, wondering at the tight, controlled expression on his face. She felt disturbing quakes
in her serenity. What is it?
I ve let this go on too long. It s entirely my fault, and I take full responsibility for allowing it to
happen against my better judgment. But now it s time to stop.
Harry? Panic like she d never known before welled in her throat. His voice had sounded more
empty and controlled than a robot s. What are you saying?
The silence grew tight with tension. Maybe this was some weird joke. He couldn t mean what she
feared.
This has been a mistake. I m fixing the mistake. I never should have let you believe there was a
chance for more. A serious relationship is what you re after, but it s not my goal. It s not my choice. He
patted the briefcase absently, tapping out a series of increasing numbers.
One/onetwothree/onetwothreefourfive. You re after something I won t give you, Ginnie. And you re
offering something I don t need or want. Therefore, I think it s time you left.
He spoke with a businessman s rational, cold clarity.
This was no joke.
She felt as if her breath was cut off. A tight knot within her begged for release, but looking at his face,
she realized it wasn t going to happen.
You she began.
He interrupted. This isn t open for debate. He placed the briefcase on the entry table, opened it and
extracted an envelope. This is for a luxury hotel and any other expenses until your house is completed.
This is also the deed to the house. I m making a gift of it to you. I ve arranged for the movers to be here
within the hour. I ll give you until the end of the day to clear out.
110 www.samhainpublishing.com
Hands On
Ginnie wondered if she was in shock.
She d never felt anything quite like it. Her mind felt weirdly disconnected, as if she d taken too much
cold medicine. Her heart throbbed with a deep, muted pain. When she thought of Harry, which was every
minute, her brain detonated the memories as soon as they arose. Painful specifics couldn t be allowed. Only
a haze of the pulverized thoughts.
The haze covered everything. It made breathing an effort and made color disappear from her world.
She felt abraded inside and out and didn t want to touch anything or anyone.
Somehow she kept from collapsing.
Lara helped.
It was Lara who discovered the twenty thousand dollars inside the envelope several hours later.
I ll return it, Ginnie said. No, wait. She struggled to a sitting position on Lara s couch, grimacing
as her elbow squished into a cool damp pillow. She grabbed the envelope, looked inside, pawed desperately
through the deed paperwork. There s no note. There s nothing personal inside. It just& wasn t personal.
Ginnie. Lara sounded frightened.
It s okay. I m okay. Ginnie tried to think. Helping Hands. They need every little bit. I ll give it to
them.
Don t you need it?
What she needed was a new heart to replace the hurting one inside her chest. Not really, she
answered. Business is booming. And I own the house now. The one lasting thing to come from Harry.
She said as much to Lara.
Lara looked uncomfortable. Ah. Well& there is one other teensy tiny thing I may have forgotten to
mention. Just found out about it myself yesterday, you know.
Ginnie felt tired. Yes?
The wealthy H. Barrett Sharpe has expedited your new home s repairs.
How much? She was getting a headache.
I don t have exact figures. It seemed to be more of a greasing of the palms, as it were. Plus he s big
in real estate, and people owed him favors.
Guess. Ginnie rubbed her temples. This was getting worse and worse. She still owed him
something? Aside from her life, of course which he d sucked the joy out of when he d broken her heart.
So that debt was clear, at least.
Lara looked at her, worried. It s not like he doesn t have the money.
Guess, she insisted.
Lara shrugged. Maybe fifty thousand.
www.samhainpublishing.com 111
Christina Crooks
Ginnie suspected Lara was guessing on the low side. Harry& no, she should start thinking of him as
Barrett. It felt slightly less painful. Barrett, then, didn t do things by half-measures. That s way too much
money. She sighed, too sad to feel anger at the way he was throwing money at her, as if she was a mistress
or hooker he had to pay off. I ll sell the house to pay it back. I should move out of this neighborhood
anyway. Maybe out of the state.
But you just got here! Lara flounced to the sofa and pushed Ginnie to the side to sit next to her. I
want you to stay. She sounded adorably young, Ginnie thought. Young and idealistic. There s no reason
for you to move away.
Clearly Lara d never had her heart broken.
I want to put up a For Sale sign right away. But Lara had a point. Okay, I won t leave town.
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