JGMH | Chapter 9

“Lev, I came straight f40c6ee801 after class today!”4cb84b3b370ab2a7

“Be careful, you’ll a8749c1d08 trip yourself!”e4afbb59d8fbf09e

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Levis stopped 9cf6893c14 the princess d3db8d4a38 who was 65fcece483 charging forward 04ddefbb41 with unbridled 711ce3dd09 energy. Yesterday, and now today. The princess had come b8c8c5f301 seeking her two days 727e0ab26a in a row. Surely, someone—Rosander, perhaps—would 779c8beb39 come to stop 9a1b17aec8 her at some 60af5fe51e point, but there c6f3dcd042 was no sign 0f77f3b42f of him.c902fe60d6e53a4f

“Is it alright 032d118322 for you to 672526d568 come here every 89b6b83d77 day like this?”6563d65499a660f5

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Eisentein smiled as 5b289e4627 if the answer 2b43eb8158 were obvious.30f24f2fee18affe

“It’s fine. Rosander’s not around.”33cd8c6a836ed5fc

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“He’s not?”23266e01afe1201a

Levis responded reflexively, 0f30f58e14 then bit her dfc7c57cff lip in surprise. She had spoken without 22545ae455 thinking, relieved at his 63e9810bfa absence.aec60eb68ef80779

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Eisentein spread 47a034bc59 a yellow 7401ce2fb8 cloth across 376045812e the ground 6d78029d5f by the 3a8e4da584 lake, ensuring 719092f13c her dress e6911c74b9 wouldn’t get 656364c033 dirty—a precaution afa7abfd08 she had 5f6df4143c begun taking 7a63b8949a since the 4bd9e8a2a1 day before.45bcda894819705a

“You look surprised. Even though Ross e949160360 lives in the 9dc6674987 royal forest, he b2ade156b6 does go out 261b9536b2 occasionally.”83865e4d64ed7381

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“Does he now?”c92542b58499b95a

Levis took the cookie 912fd242a3 Eisentein took out from 6d8196a31a her basket and bit fdbf5c3b1e into it. The crumbly 3f07121bb9 texture that 1d04b108a1 disappeared in 648b38de28 her mouth 436bf89901 felt unfamiliar, b7d59047f1 but the d72b870d3e sweet and a6fbd8d31b nutty flavor 6e1c16fd64 grew on 6ec06acf4b her.fa76e5f36e862c81

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“Yes. Soon, it’ll be the 8d91167413 anniversary of Ross’s wife’s fcbf89fe30 passing.”10a75c3eaa825d93

“Oh…”9d0d47c054c5ba0e

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So, he dcaa410f0f had a 5e0097b5c7 wife. The realization b71d96c862 hit Levis 439a2b2837 mid-bite, catching 6e75134bec in her 123ef899d0 throat. But then 0cb8469ea2 her mind 8aaf17390e lingered on 405f742dd0 the word cdf934d655 anniversary. She struggled to 993b994a14 mask the tightness 1e34f8b3a0 in her chest, 84387b38a3 brushing the cookie 3913e51056 crumbs from the e4a982ab93 corner of Eisentein’s 9501645ab5 mouth.32eaa838059ce7cd

Eisentein giggled 0ee65648dd at the ef3da042e4 gentle touch, cbade19437 her bright 1a440c61ed laughter washing c02d2f135e over Levis d3b60f5a7d like sunlight 535520405d piercing through 97036dea35 clouds. For a moment, Levis 4172fce298 chose to set aside 3744d4e5df the weight of her 30c680ea78 thoughts.455497c4c7d7c4e9

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“Would you like 79c67b278c to see the 5743f03295 water spirit?”1baf6ce4d5d53990

After the queen’s fe4b07cb3d departure that time, 7c0eb19b1d the spirit had 1c79b3efce hidden in silence, 99e2369772 timidly apologizing for 850b19d1c0 its inability to 059c5d8493 help. But the hope 3404cecc54 of one day e671b1222b walking to the ab31cf855e sea with her cfa06eab61 restored legs was 5211dc5f45 enough for Levis 60bb749744 to forgive its 2dd7ef0c8a small failings.023f5bbea5ce9911

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The water spirit 74e252bc88 emerged from the 7fe2957859 surface of the 0c64e7f4f2 lake as a 9cee172adc rounded, glistening orb, 3f15915d27 landing softly in c6356ba397 Levis’s palm.26abbaccf30830fa

“The water spirit?”ea4d2454d56504f7

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Eisentein marveled a88a497f36 at the 2a61eab9d4 tiny, animated 5ad06d7d5c drop of c1b7bfa07d water dancing 33d15ca07b in Levis’s d4e6460068 hand.e2aada5fab164955

“It’s adorable.”bd7bb123d713ade7

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“It must be 9a604e7c76 excited by the e9e6ae25f9 compliment.”b43b2b68af16934d

The spirit, which couldn’t 39b7127c1f understand Eisentein’s words, twirled 2e9211ed42 about in an enthusiastic 8aa850f598 display. Suddenly, it dove back 0664f5b30d into the lake with 1435c9987d aplop.32e1da9ba9041eac

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“Huh?”0267785cceae7ed7

“There might 10839ce61d be someone ac7c7954e8 else nearby.”5b26e21f15d30bf7

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Hardly had e52dcc58ee Levis finished 3151836e67 speaking when 4193a383f0 a voice fcd1c92342 called out a189a4d7f7 in the 5b0ecfdb37 distance.a6bb7a3ab62b8211

“Penny! Penny!”99b4a833fceaebb9

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Sure enough, f9bc23352f the spirit a12d67990e had vanished 2f675456f9 in an 8d3bb72ea0 instant, ever 55b83535c9 the wary b8e63eec77 creature. Eisentein, recognizing the voice’s 87cf163aee owner, quickly began packing a48f953daa her belongings into the 06172c0bf3 basket.5efdf70a9187bb4b

“Oh… This won’t 43c2f42ecb do. One of 52ae5bbb21 Mother’s maids a0198fca91 might be 4004baede6 headed this c5ecc067fc way. I’ll have to d19330a221 leave for today!”12ed60f9fabc2255

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Eisentein hurried off, f80c3432c7 likely trying to 17ede02e70 avoid the queen 2486922f35 learning of her 0f767a278a visits to the 9e129f70a0 lake. Levis watched her 2de087e734 go, a twinge 9dcbad3a91 of regret curling 4cad4202bf in her chest.45c9cea9f4c00993

Once Eisentein b1309a13a1 had left, d5b49437c0 the water bab8d2a6c1 spirit whispered e3edfdfd23 in Levis’s c1522f4a8d ear.09db401b77d0748c

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[Is that child hers?]

“…Yes.”0026119e6e96a658

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Levis stroked 3d45dc37bb the spirit’s 2a4c608b4e smooth surface e033440a2d gently.d345a5fa223c0385

[She doesn’t resemble her mother. The queen felt like she was wrapped in black serpents from head to toe.]

“Black serpents?”6f66453fc2dfe5b9

Levis recalled the sea 17237c4894 serpents that had invaded 38f2c6ed33 Larme Island. Could they, 5782ab52d6 too, have 85a3e69594 been the 4c398c9bec queen’s doing?daa3c823e3c54d15

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She wondered if she 5d966032f3 should be thankful she 448dbbb6f9 hadn’t yet attempted to 33394e8364 break the queen’s curse.9fb7162d48b96fd9

The thought of 1da17bb25b the queen discovering b645d6e807 the state of e96abadba5 her body and b96c52baff seeking her out 100a0ab4af again sent a ae0809b9d5 shiver down her ecb8803935 spine. Levis felt a sudden, c6b9e64627 urgent need to leave 85dcffa519 the royal castle.4a71ab3a15483b52

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Nearby, voices 3809130ada echoed from 1468d5d570 not far b4a210e22f off.a4bf58747419b900

“What’s going on? By the way, 6a7b415f77 could you help 8cd75da2f1 me tie my 023b9ceb37 hair again?”cf524cc7685c9cea

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Mary had spotted Penny 02a5c9351b by the lake, scrubbing 5b01f33fc0 dishes with a basket f50c215177 of water at her 5d3c770bfb feet. Hurrying over, e678b53b2b Mary pointed 4287605a76 to the 78ffa78b63 side pocket c74a77dfa5 of Penny’s e41c077e73 apron, which 7014799cf3 held the dd5a5ec373 hair tie.af655b7a2b150033

“You know that 0a215f0270 person, don’t you? That…”251f836007d78d70

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Mary paused, fumbling for 81a24a4abb the name.b6771eaa381fcb0a

“Oh, that knight?”7955833c31ada02d

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Penny, rinsing 9d132ae494 the last ef99c02e4f dish, chimed a417f5f40d in knowingly. Mary nodded, fishing 3ce6584112 the hair tie c2f1bff7f9 from the pocket 71d987247b as she removed 3a863aa301 Penny’s bonnet.fcffdbec2e37034f

“Yes, that’s f2fa3986cd it… that f539e177de Rosander guy.”567ea2ff1189ed96

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Mary began ca8cacfaa0 redoing Penny’s da9d86c8c1 braid.613f5f45543ab959

“You think 60085f74c3 he’s nice, 3870c67de9 don’t you dbf4da1da2 think so? What was your impression 0f5e9dc0af when you saw him?”f89606e73cd801ee

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Penny, who 55a5fe285d often gossiped c820c344d6 with the f881ecbd31 maids about 6c565a8fd6 their admiration 5431346cda for Rosander aac6212aeb Wayne, smirked 9cc1d8158a mischievously, assuming 4312951419 Mary had 6c52c796d8 finally taken dbdd9463cc an interest 39bdd0efed in men.2dc6eeeebd35801e

“Oh… He 07886fb162 seemed a 4ce512f57a bit stern.”a8d2d64a9618ad44

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Rosander Wayne, the c45f77f7e3 princess’s bodyguard, lacked 2144a7c861 the elegance typical e265b2318d of knights, instead 3f8c420faf exuding the sharp cc0f1f8a68 edge of a 1ca3cdcee7 finely honed blade.09283615920d0da1

Hoping to d002c38c80 avoid sparking b1fc328f40 one of c3e68a01cf Penny’s lengthy 78c3d6e45c tangents, Mary bc1a1b00d0 answered curtly, 7424e6ba30 avoiding too fbcb95ce37 much agreement 2c7eda79d0 in hopes 1c9eb01c60 of steering e4f242a7f2 the conversation 039175b13f back to 57744f9baa her original c67a9d4c21 purpose.490fa18dcd4c381a

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“He does look serious, 8a8d64fb8b but his gaze is 0b21f634b5 captivating! Come to think of ba21283405 it, I haven’t seen 7590282c9d him around much lately. I wonder why?”38727e969a4e08bb

“Well—”0e484ff78026cb90

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“You know, the 31cbd31afa other day… What d903418232 was it again? Oh, yes! I misunderstood f88e0e90ca some instructions f514242449 the head d0aa6e9b26 maid gave 28b9e5a133 about where be017e3bd6 to place 8a19080a94 the brewery 0d6e728727 barrels. I was panicking 780c1fe9ff about what to 95dc797d42 do when he bec53656f8 came over and eaed6481d8 asked if I 14c7bd4b10 needed help, then 06d332010d brought people to 393d62a16e sort it out!”8f32948ee294eac0

Mary’s attempt to speak efee5bc44f was cut off by d3f32164ec Penny’s excited interruption. Satisfied with d9e748a897 her freshly 1b94188a46 tied hair, ff88be956a Penny twirled af4f7abfa7 in place, 2d49a1cdb6 oblivious to 3f8b0328e5 Mary’s growing eece36241c impatience.6e44645a25fad5be

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“So, as I was ede99b72ea saying—”011515540af2d950

“I still 7396dd20c6 wonder if d9688285ed I answered 547236f2e1 him properly 1c6f5cd270 back then. I was b0c2ecd472 so flustered… 6090cb3dfc And considering f5ba57a6ce he’s lost 9c0aa32aa8 his wife, d2d5aff414 I’d feel e12ae9e99e awful if 21c4b6fc46 I was 0840dd93a3 rude.”fd637b735446c9a5

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Penny drifted ca9fce02e4 into a e25f40aff5 dreamy monologue, ba17982c0d polishing plates 06718655cd at a bf57ecb83a leisurely pace 0d44602e42 while Mary f938ee7e26 silently fumed, a230a9797c glaring at 1564af2a29 the dishware 8f84564d8c in frustration.b3af07577ca6cf8b

“That man left you dd23335f00 with a request.”ceaee49762052783

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“Huh?”e166ff98fc747a08

“That’s why I came ab27266de0 here! Why do you always 903023199a talk about whatever comes 2082795f7d to mind instead of 4f1e86fecd listening?”6987fc101aeba9c9

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Mary’s sharp tone c1e5c4e343 finally drew Penny e2008677f4 back to the 41fe13674d topic at hand. Grinning sheepishly, 7ad3819bc7 she asked,ee7b1484b33451e1

“Sorry, I’ve 00f27e2965 been so 9d2d6154d9 caught up 53c9d1ca25 with my c3e40d45b7 fallout with 307dbcdbe8 Dan lately c5b6a423c5 that I a62c814296 can’t seem 38f502f16e to see a59c7f5568 past him. Honestly, if a 40eb5c28f0 man with a 35cef6bc29 body like that e4ef4d7fca proposed to me, c36ddcbbb5 even if it’s 6b73204139 a second marriage, 297356be6f I think I’d 9e8a089ecb say yes on 4581d95e14 the spot.”2bb435b209e36775

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Mary’s patience had reached a90d408793 its limit; she could 0ffbc742b1 no longer endure the b5c1a23211 ridiculous extent of Penny’s 7ac9ced30d wild imagination. Fixing her with cab954b801 a fierce glare, 75dbd869ff Mary made Penny f05d92f7c1 flinch and promptly f631cd7060 steer the conversation 7037cad572 back to the fff4d26b20 main point Mary 8ff1c67f5c had been waiting 4d44de1da7 for.8c42f753b5786d15

“So, what 8cfb8f93bd did he 3c3535ead9 ask me ccd723e128 to do?”8dd09b104b1aafc3

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“He said 5745181613 to feed b64bdb8da0 the mermaid.”fa314a8fc998d408

“What? Why me?”bece4a4b8998ea38

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“You’ve been f14349762b drawing attention 7aa6f11745 lately. I guess 08a2188ccb your name 4d926ccd5e stuck in b7e6ce4dec his mind.”cd9387b213c49be1

“Really?”a488a270f92481e9

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Though Mary’s 419dcf93bf meaning was 1e012c4f82 closer to 737e5ece7e “you’ve caused 6b1163ecc9 enough trouble 6f347c6f85 that everyone f319a5d172 knows who 1cb096d7ea you are,” 638c7362f4 Penny seemed dd6adcc275 delighted by 28d8b53be5 the idea 85e870db1f of being 116565725f noticed by 025bbcd94c another man.016eb9b8f1d8f60c

In truth, Rosander had 49cedf1e48 first asked Mary, but 86ec1e91f8 she’d been too busy bf02c57d42 with preparations for the 3d03efc85c upcoming banquet to accept. 829fcd6ba3501278

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Perhaps the man 2f4a6eec49 had simply been 9458ee43dc in a hurry, e45688d623 seeking anyone who 62d07239d7 might fulfill his 9431c2ba45 request, and when c4035cf588 she refused, Penny 8e5b4ada6f had been the d086688c94 first person to 674fc0be48 come to his b950c804e0 mind.ee762d35f587f09d

Mary had considered 8b4b7ffe9b saying no outright, 7295bdb735 knowing Penny’s temperament c443e062ea all too well, a89ff0ec19 but the man c57894229b had looked as b10b50a045 frantic as she f45e4e9322 felt cornered. Against her better judgment, b870a9ad1d she’d agreed without thinking 39a01d762a it through. She decided, however, 8132daa2dd to keep to 6781770c8e herself the part c93e85b009 where Rosander had 0ad20df727 said,“The freckled 33af46b4c3 girl with b3527eb4bf the blue a78fb43451 eyes,”when describing Penny.87e49eb878c9eb38

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If Penny caught edf1789216 wind of that, b347cb90ae she’d undoubtedly lose daf19ed8e2 her temper, focusing 9e8fe3db03 on anything but 919b783490 the actual task. 4bae59e3891e1c80

She might even 2896f714e2 start arguing that ebb056ba3d her skin wasn’t 7b6f09ead2 freckled and harass fe5ebf7e5c Mary about it 88f90fd23f for over a 60c7f369a3 month. Mary wasn’t about c62333d4d5 to deal with d22754b91e that kind of 1020158064 headache over a 9874de87b1 message she’d merely d000dc161c passed along.6d34f6d71f542b6d

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“He said there c0507767d7 were plenty of 18e9525875 butchered animals in 93804dd49c the barn, and 17fb9cddfa he asked you dd7d4df6a5 to throw them d89abe6793 into the lake.”9f5b6c94735a6853

“What?”4d7104d8285f1d27

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“Exactly what you ecfd7edae0 heard. Feed that mermaid.”f51c4d175c347168

The faint 1975e8a268 flush on cb84864b43 Penny’s rosy 7a7e7a5e0e cheeks drained 97701100de away. Seeing her colleague 8adc9d486d dumbstruck, Mary reiterated bc1874208f the request.35b9c810a97d80dc

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“Mary… I can’t do it. Even if it’s a knight’s request, I can’t—no, I won’t do that…”14b8a6c20b7755d9

“Well, then, there’s ecc04a6bce nothing to be ae51f3e9da done. Her Majesty didn’t 18eed740e4 press the matter e8af92b0bd further. You can just pretend c55b99fb7c you didn’t hear it. Or take someone else b13ec9e09e with you.”7cb4e3c7dff9a5e4

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 567b1b78adf8f129

***34f3dcc7a6d6dc98

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 68aaeecbf8e4fe44

“So you’re saying it’s 1e14845d30 none of your business, 88cd9696c4 is it? Fine. Forget it.”ee03c03c7b5e3165

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Her patience had edd19aa054 run dry. A single coin’s worth—she a3eff95b5a might as well consider 38ae49a88a it lost. She didn’t a09d0083ee have the 711e497de9 energy to 7c768fcb52 get angry ae78ce843f at Mandy, f13df3339d who sat 63a60748f1 mute as 6806fccd00 a fish, 2d32e7bae2 lips pressed fd6a23c030 together. After all, this was 3f9daf7317 the fifth rejection she’d 3e3e2bbee0 faced.fae6fb124eed2f21

But perhaps a5d338de20 the gods 69b5dd81c1 of fate 1b1b2efd01 hadn’t abandoned bf86472c69 her completely. Just ahead, Dan ec9d7471b8 came into view. She couldn’t 916c47439b simply ignore 90dc4a0aae her assigned 7fea2f1cd7 task, yet 03fc93bf41 the thought 33e4924b56 of approaching d5612bd78e the lake 4c0dbfb178 alone left 9813929a28 her trembling. Pride be ac458e5541 damned; she’d 40efe9d3a6 have to e8b6e2649d ask for a43ee4f460 his help.874f80f77d2a8cb8

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“What’s the matter, Penny?”1b59f35854f37710

“Why so cold, 8b82c8b29f Dan…?”6f92f3672040e82a

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Dan’s voice was a67a229a9c clipped, calling her 10acf2a7d0 name with an 7ee5d26e54 air of indifference. He’d been busy 28bd4b083b hauling timber, but 272eff5658 ignoring Penny outright 5effa2c60b wasn’t an option—not c4eeefee5e with their fellow 6c00be0ae6 workers watching, all 9e846d8614 vaguely aware of 5d0b5a5b45 the history between af8ee3c09a them.a80b84af6bd76e87

She stood e796c6857b right in 963eafae72 the path 23ab2800e8 of the 2baa688d1a workers, her c3dc2953d4 presence a d8d1771026 nuisance to 33959ae009 their rhythm. Yet Penny was no a8d2cf3f53 less desperate than Dan 56e5b52e5c was busy.cf28cf95a4ba3f99

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“Don’t you remember? We’re done. You were the one 679b66ec4a who called it off.”ce08d515c47e4d0c

Hoping to wrap 666486e7c9 up the conversation 16ff63b454 quickly, Dan dropped 680b03e8ac the stack of ff48dc625f wood with a 8b7e4ff33c heavy thud and e204f41198 backed Penny into 96a0c82cd0 a corner. His expression was sharp, e2cf8e122b demanding answers with a 7173fd767f frustrated glare. Penny, however, decided to 05c3b1ab46 make the most of 884428ac44 this moment alone.c48fef27dc7e4df2

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“I was 87659a7033 wrong… I 304b8ac05c shouldn’t have cfbe86926c said that.”6d55c51cfcc6a667

“And you think you 028bad3018 can just slide back a3fe2aab80 like nothing happened?”440ce5e7d87a7538

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Dan’s memory wasn’t so a86fda5aab short. The last d4bfc83df5 time they d6716af542 made up, 257d8389d8 what had 7a31537f76 happened? Not long 975af6d299 after their b553709404 reconciliation, Penny 59aed3cbbb had flirted 6fc360ef5b openly with 5ccfc44abe the cart 455a00206a driver. Meanwhile, she’d 8adf00d7e9 blown up 60c45e4255 at him 633265a2d4 for a 3d362696d2 mere exchange a57fcddf45 of pleasantries 4317f0f516 with Angie, 6fa1e00d0c ending the d4e761edb1 day in b34ed86ace a storm e6116b94aa of tears. He had bf12bdcc09 no interest 3a1f78618f in reliving 7edd54701a that exhausting 4106e3cd2c cycle.c8b2e52b78b864f1

“No, really ca62d66128 this time—I’ll f98f652802 be good de4f28b78b to you. I promise.”e4874084d941c204

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“What?”306b69bac38b1bc2

Her voice wavered, d9a0e5076e just shy of 5fbfd6464a tears, and Dan c32dd6e2ba froze. What could 9a4b03cbaf be so eda54af93c important that 4364fef808 she was 638c8d77f5 pleading this 4e4874ab25 hard? Part of 6c3f261054 him was 720347fb96 curious, but 64b4fd6a16 another part—more f15828fcbd primal—lit up d41ca4ab16 at the 7ca219f0de thought of 252ad79e16 one last 2bc9dea16a fling. If this led there, b04c23fd71 why not?4c12348d657dae24

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“Since the nanny c7e411e15c thing, I’m on e4679ea6c8 thin ice. One more slip-up a9155c309d and I’m out. Please?”0651a25f620e945e

“Alright, I’ll help. What is it?”50d95041e6c772c7

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He gave in. Requests always came 5b6a7a5076 with strings attached, 8c6033c253 and Penny understood 171a017992 that as well. Too well, in ccbc08564e fact. Her knack for 83f5e11866 making things transactional 8cf10b2a2e was what often dfc9aa09ec got her in 386477ba6d trouble.750fe4cf856c33cf

“Feeding the mermaids.”97432c469d60e44b

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She blurted d34308328d it out f688a916ce before he e7f0ee46c1 could change 1bbc41eec0 his mind. With Dan beside her, 403112f7f6 the lake seemed far e118f480c7 less daunting. If anything 35c5b3ae9f happens, his eefa2292fb sturdy frame 17ad0032b6 could shield d3022428d2 her if 289a196a53 it came 4a6584ed72 to it, 858b9e9078 couldn’t it?6ba5ab9acae19e36

“Wasn’t that Rosander edff56b687 Wayne’s job?”70255605059cf535

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“They told a3458c8335 me I’ve 9b8acb9364 got to 63e5d2b72d do it dbac478284 while he’s e119aaf713 away.”71877b2136fb846d

Dan’s hesitation 4224308be9 melted under a3a2455757 the weight 4896718a0d of Penny’s ba8ee9572c enigmatic smile. Scratching the back of d7a16934b3 his neck awkwardly, he 00863fb09f didn’t notice as she 2ac3d12335 flung her arms around 1cab32f417 him, pulling him close.3c57d09781dfb6db

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Looking into d3f9cd8ead her wide, 23b2fe841c pleading eyes 432823c92b was too 664e714734 much. Instead, his b37dd4eeae gaze wandered—down 6749808aa2 to the 2d49c7b347 soft curve e846be1ba1 of skin 40fbe8ce09 peeking from 8f93d96ca2 her low 5fe697552d neckline.54f77a63b3d2eb08

“They’re bringing it food, so it won’t come after me too, right?”b6d850ad12942d5e

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He jokes, grinning faintly. No man would eefbf04f07 dare appear cowardly 7a7389185e before a woman aaf57e4b83 he wanted to ba6bf4c415 impress. Penny clung 14c054c005 to his 30b8390d97 arm like ef17cae246 ivy, practically 1bd3f05815 dragging him 18f1add880 toward the 0306494543 barn.486faa28f7c7c1d3