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Mariah was pleasantly surprised by the remainder of the airport. Once they had passed the gate area, it was filled with shops and boutiques. They took a mechanized shuttle from the gate area to baggage claim, where Josiah Pierce insisted on lifting her suitcase from the carousel. It wasn't heavy, or she'd have worried about injuring the stooped man. With all the time she spent on the road, she made sure her luggage was convenient, on wheels. After she pulled a handle from her suitcase, Pierce insisted on towing it behind him. |
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"If you would please follow me," he said. He led her to the parking lot and stopped beside an aged Mercedes. Mariah stifled a grin at her surprise that this old-fashioned man actually drove, though the stately old car fit him. |
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She wrinkled her nose as she sat down inside. The old leather reeked of cigar smoke. |
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As they drove from the airport, Josiah Pierce asked, "What kind of fare would you like this evening? I believe I can locate Italian, a steak house, a family restaurant or just coffee." |
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"Room service," Mariah said firmly. "I'm sorry to be a party pooper, but I just received your screenplay this morning and didn't finish reading it on the plane. I want to check into my hotel room and read." |
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He parted his lips as though to protest but said with a frown, "As you wish." |
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Mariah watched out the car windows as Pierce drove along the route he called a parkway. It was a four-lane freeway, surrounded by office parks, shopping centers and rolling green hills. It did not give her the same sense of welcome that circling Pittsburgh in the plane had, and she felt disappointed. |
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"We shall meet for breakfast," Pierce told her, "after you have completed your review of the screenplay. At that time I will explain to you anything you wish, and we will look together for filming sites." |
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Mariah was accustomed to giving most of the orders when planning a production. But, concerned the strange little man would withdraw the screenplay from Lemoncake, she bit back her irritation. "Sure," she said. |
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