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“That was a fluke.”
“Ah, okay.” Merry stepped back out of the way. “You can grab a plate and help yourself.”
“You mind if I use your bathroom?”
“Of course not. It’s the door at the back of the house.”
“Thanks.”
Merry’s gaze drifted to his hips as he passed and she blurted, “Where did your belt go?”
“It’s hanging on my ladder. Figured I wouldn’t need it inside.”
“Too bad,” she mumbled under her breath.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“She said too bad,” Jace offered through a huge bite of taco.
Merry wanted to dissolve into the floor.
“All right, I’ll be right back.” Merry didn’t need to look at him to hear the laughter in his voice.
“Why did you want my dad to wear his tool belt?”
“My faucet is leaking and I thought he might have a tool that could tighten things up.” Merry’s skin burned as her excuse played out in a completely different context.
“You should ask him when he gets out. My dad’s really good at fixin’ things. I busted the head off my robot snake and he snapped it back on and it works fine.”
Merry finished making her taco and sat on the couch. Clark came out of the bathroom past the whining puppy and grabbed a plate.
“How’s the grub, bud?”
“It’s good. Merry needs her pipes plugged. They’re leaking.”
She choked on her food, grabbing her napkin in case something came flying out.
“She does, huh?” He grinned at her, his eyes electrified with amusement.
“I said…I need them tightened.”
“I can look at them after dinner if you’d like.”
“No, it’s fine, really.” She hopped off the couch, squeezing behind Clark to get to the fridge, her chest brushing against his back. “Would anyone like something to drink? I have soda, water…”
“Can I have soda?” Jace asked.
“As long as it’s caffeine-free.”
“I have root beer,” Merry said.
“I love root beer,” Jace said, taking the can with zeal.
The puppy’s whining had risen to high-pitched wailing and she was shaking the cage with the full force of her body. Jace frowned. “Does she have to stay in there?”
“Only until we finish eating,” Merry said.
