“They said it came furnished.” It was the reason she’d chosen the place. Well, that and the fact that it was cheap, and she needed cheap. Most of her savings was in her practice now. She couldn’t afford a new house. Or apparently one that would be standing in a couple of years.

“Yep, with everything. You bought a ninety-eight-year-old man’s entire life.”

She wasn’t sure that’s what she’d planned on. “I thought it was furniture and dishes and stuff like that.”

She’d left behind almost all of her own stuff when she’d broken things off with her fiancé. She’d walked away from him and gotten her own bland apartment that served as nothing more than a place to eat and sleep. It hadn’t been hard to leave it when she’d decided to move out of Dallas.

“And dentures. He had a surprising collection of those,” Lisa pointed out. “Don’t worry. I think I got them all. I organized the bathrooms and there are fresh sheets on the bed. And the kitchen. It’s spotless, though not decluttered. I wasn’t able to get to the rest of the place. It’s been crazy at work lately. I’ll be here every minute I can to help you. I actually think it’s going to be pretty once we fix it up.”

It had to be because she was going to live here. She was going to make a home here in this tiny backwater place, where she could maybe hide from the big bad world.

“Lila, are you okay?”

She shook it off. She’d made her decision and she was sticking to it, peeling paint and all. “I’m good. It was a long drive. Thanks for bringing the keys out. And you don’t have to help me. I’m sure it will be a good way to pass the time. I certainly won’t explore this town by driving around. The sheriff is quick with a ticket.”

And he was gorgeous and his smile lit up the world, and he had the most spectacular butt. She’d seen it in her rearview mirror as he’d swaggered away to write her up.

Apparently he wasn’t married since he’d asked her out. Well, he’d suggested that they grab dinner together. That was kind of like asking her on a date. She’d been out of the game for a very long time.

Lisa groaned. “Are you serious? I’ll talk to him. You know what? There’s a town hall next week. I’ll yell at him there. And I’ll let him know if he doesn’t fix it, he’s off the pie list at Guidry’s. Don’t discount that threat. Armie might look like a man who never eats carbs, but he loves my pecan pie.”