sddleagedandalone,overiddleherkidsruggling,herfathersurehookeepgoing
thatinuteslater,e
paulhadseenpeoplees,he,anoperationandstill,thesotionalnatureofhiseeranyofthefacesofthoseforansethingthatheit,butithepersonhehadoncebeen
butatthisnt,ashelookedintotheredriedeyesoftheanontheporiliargroundhisfirstinstinpossibleitghthavebeenthesettingorthefactthatshepathypletelyoffguard
nothavingexpebarrassntatbeingile,shedabbedathertears,tryingtopretendthetoisten
asshetuedtofacehihohelpbutstare
itedalsttranslucent,buttherethatshedneverseenbeforeinanyoneelse
heknoe,shesuddenlythoughtoruldknoeifigavehichance
asquie,shedisssedthethinkingtheidiculousno,shedecided,thereanstandingbeforeherheplytheguestjeanhadtoldherabout,andsinceshehadntbeenatthedesk,hedelookingforher;thatintherangersoftendo
thoughheaybefivetenorso,heeoneatedshort,andthereorethanthat
justthen,paulseedtorealizehesorry,”herred,“ididntantointerrupt”hetionedoverhisshoulder“ille”
adrienneshookherhead,tryingtoputhitease“itsokayiinginanyway”
,shecaughthiseyesasendtitheyery,asthoughheethingsadbuttryingtohideitshereachedforherffeecup,usingitasanexcusetotuaway
togoaheadasheovedbehindthedeskshecheckedthenainthereservationhookandglancedup
“paulflanner,right“yourestayingfivenights,andoing”
“yes”hehesitated“isitpossibletogetarooavieheocean”
adriennepulledouttheregistrationfor“sureasupstairsyouretheonlyguestscheduledthisweekend”
“end”
“theyreallnice,butifi”
“theblueroo
“itsgotthedarkesttoandsetthepenbesideit“uldyousignhere”
“sure”
adriennee,thinkingashesignedthathishandstan,buthisventseasuredheattered
paulsetasidethepenandsherea,kingsurehedfilleditoutrrekey,hesitated,thenselectedtore
“okay,here,”shesaid“youreadytoseeyour
roo
“please”
paulsteppedbackasshedehercatchupshetionedto
“ihaveffeeandsookiesrightoverthereidethepotanhourago,soitshouldstillhefreshforawhile”
“isaeinthankyou”
atthetopofthesteps,adrienued,herhandstillrestingonthebalustradetheresupstairs:onenearthefrontofthehouseandthreethatfabers:
bodie,hatteras,andasthenasoflighthousesalongtheouterbanks
“youcantakeyourpick,”adriennesaid“ibroughtallthreekeysincaseyoulikeanotheronebetter”
paullookedfronerooothenext“”
“oh,thatsjusticallit:jeancallsitthebodiesuite”
“jean“
“shestheojustchingtheplacewhileshesgone”
thestrapsoftheduffelbagsasadrienneunlo,feelingtheduffelhagbuagainstherashewedgedby
paulglanagineditpleandotelroothereovetheairinthefarer,nearalargepaintingofthebodielighthouse,thereedledtothebathrooalongthenearsincetheinnhadbeenbuilt
ucheverythingintedvariousshadesofblue:thethrowrugon
