Page 10 of Live a Little!


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Her laugh held a note of hysteria. “Not even a little bit.” And it felt good. No more planning for retirment in her thirties, no more wasting heryouth.

After he left, Cynthia felt as if she’d come out of a tunnel into fresh air. She was bursting with the need to get started on her newlife.

No wonder the FBI agent hadn’t believed this was her house. It didn’t reflect her personality at all. The Hummels stared at her from their big-lashed innocent eyes, as though anticipating their doom. “Sorry, guys,” she said. “You’re the first togo.”

She ran down to the basement and collected a few boxes and mounds of tissue, then ran back up to the living room. She wrapped each little figure carefully before stowing it in the box. Aunt Lois, her mom’s younger sister, would lovethem.

Cynthia packed up the cabbage rose china, the hand-crocheted doilies, the pinwheel crystal and her mood rose. Music, she neededmusic.

Katy Perry gave way to Carly Rae Jepsen as she worked, and reminded herself she was young. Vibrant. A woman in charge of herlife.

After Cynthia finished in the living room she had four boxes neatly packed andlabeled.

Next she hit her bedroom. Ruthlessly she dragged out every suit more than twenty-four months old, and a few that were newer. If her colleagues at the cement company didn’t like her new image, that was their problem. She gazed at the stifling array of suits, which had most likely been designed for middle-aged women. She must have been crazy to have bought them. She chucked the works in a big green garbage bag to be donated tocharity.

She dragged the bulging bag into the living room to join the boxes. She was just wondering whether she had enough energy to haul it out to her hatchback when the doorbellrang.

Her lips thinned. She’d made Walter return her house key before he left—she glanced at her watch—less than two hours ago. He’d been smugly certain she’d change her mind and resume their engagement, but did he really think she was going to change it in twohours?

It wouldn’t take her two minutes to set himstraight.

She marched to the door and flung itopen.

Jake Wheeler stood there, all he-man tough and dangerous, lounging in her doorway, a quizzical expression on his face. “You should have checked through your peephole first,” he said by way of agreeting.

“How do you know Ididn’t?”

“Your jaw’s hanging open. Either you have an advanced case of lockjaw or you’re surprised to see me. I’m guessing you get a regular tetanusshot.”

It flashed through her mind, as she took in the blue, blue eyes and the black hair, the craggy face and the body, that he could have been a model forRaunch Magazine’s fantasyissue.

Even as the thought germinated, a blush began on her cheeks and spread. This man had seen her naked. She shut her mouth with a snap. “You’re right. I wasn’t expectingyou.”

“I like thehair.”

“You do?” The color probably matched the full-bodyblush.

He chuckled. He had a very attractive chuckle. “Let me guess—you change your hair color as often as you change yourmen.”

She laughed back, realizing it was absolutely true. She’d colored her hair once and dumped her first boyfriend. In only thirty-one years. “You’ve got mepegged.”

“You going to invite me in or are you alreadyentertaining?”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Of course. Come in.” She stepped back, and he walked into her house and straight into the living room, where he jerked to astop.

“You’re not moving, are you?” He sounded almostpanicked.

“I’m thinking about it. No. I’m finished thinking. I’ve decided. I’m moving. Yes. Yes Iam.”

“But this is a great neighborhood, safe, stable,a—”

“Great place to raise a family? I know. I was raised in this house.” She sighed. “I need a change, that’sall.”

“So redecorate. It’s a loteasier.”

“You sound likeWalter.”

His eyes crinkled. “The doctor who makes house calls? I get the impression that’s notgood.”