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Authors: Lee Hollis
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stopped? Iâve been looking all over for you! Why havenât you returned the four voice mail messages I left for you?â
âBecause I left my cell phone home last night when we went to the movies and never bothered to check it until this morning. I saw that you called so I was just going to call you back when we got home from our hike. What are you doing here?â
âI was worried something happened to you and I know this is the route you take when you go hiking with the dog in the morning so I came out looking for you.â
âWhatâs wrong, Liddy? Whatâs happened?â
Liddy took a deep breath. âWell, itâs pretty bad.â
Hayley and Gemma exchanged worried looks.
âWhat? Has someone died? Is it Mona?â Hayley said, suddenly concerned.
âNo! Itâs not Mona! Although itâs a miracle that woman hasnât keeled over from a coronary with all the butter and carbs she consumes!â Liddy said.
âSo what? Tell us!â Gemma said, more impatient than her mother.
âWell, Sonny and I went out to dinner last night at McKayâs because you know how much I love their Duck Confit Spring Rolls . . .â
âThe point, Liddy. Get to the point,â Hayley sighed.
âWell, who should be at the next table when we sat down but Aaron and his new lady friend.â
âPlease tell me that isnât why you left four frantic phone messages and came racing out here this morning nearly mowing us down!â Hayley screamed.
âOf course it is! Donât you want to know who heâs dating? It was exactly who we all suspected! And now I have hard evidence! I have an eyewitness! Me!â Liddy said, perplexed as to why Hayley wasnât reacting more to this big news.
âNo, Liddy. I donât. I told you I donât care.â
Hayley would be lying if she didnât admit to herself that deep down on some level she was slightly curious to know, but she certainly wasnât going to allow Liddy and Gemma to see that.
âYou canât be serious,â Liddy said, mouth agape.
âItâs none of my business . . .â
âCrystal Collier!â Liddy blurted out.
Really?
Crystal Collier?
Well, truth be told, Hayley was slightly surprised because Crystal just didnât seem to be Aaronâs type. She was a local lawyer with a very tough, hard demeanor, extremely ambitious, and with a habit of being very direct with people, sometimes at the expense of their feelings.
âSonny despises Crystal because sheâs stolen several of his clients, but he managed to fake it and smile and say hello as we passed by the table.â
âWell, youâve alerted me to this earth-shattering news so your work is done, Liddy. Thank you for sharing,â Hayley said, shaking her head, trying hard to cover her amazement that Aaron was dating an obnoxious ballbuster like Crystal Collier.
âGemma, you work so closely with Aaron Iâm shocked that you didnât already know,â Liddy said, eyeing her suspiciously.
âI did know,â Gemma said quietly.
âWhy wouldnât you tell your mother?â Liddy screamed.
âBecause as Iâve said a hundred times itâs none of my business!â Hayley yelled.
Gemma turned and put a hand on her motherâs shoulder. âI didnât mention it because I didnât want to hurt your feelings.â
âGemma, there is absolutely no reason to pussyfoot around me. I can handle Aaron dating someone new. In fact, I really, truly am happy for him that heâs getting out there again but . . .â
âBut what?â Liddy demanded to know.
âCrystal Collier?â
âSee! Youâre as dumbfounded as I am! How could Aaron choose a woman so aggressive and in your face? Sheâs so not his type!â
Liddy was right.
Crystal was far from Aaronâs type.
But then again how did she really know that?
Maybe Crystal was
âBecause I left my cell phone home last night when we went to the movies and never bothered to check it until this morning. I saw that you called so I was just going to call you back when we got home from our hike. What are you doing here?â
âI was worried something happened to you and I know this is the route you take when you go hiking with the dog in the morning so I came out looking for you.â
âWhatâs wrong, Liddy? Whatâs happened?â
Liddy took a deep breath. âWell, itâs pretty bad.â
Hayley and Gemma exchanged worried looks.
âWhat? Has someone died? Is it Mona?â Hayley said, suddenly concerned.
âNo! Itâs not Mona! Although itâs a miracle that woman hasnât keeled over from a coronary with all the butter and carbs she consumes!â Liddy said.
âSo what? Tell us!â Gemma said, more impatient than her mother.
âWell, Sonny and I went out to dinner last night at McKayâs because you know how much I love their Duck Confit Spring Rolls . . .â
âThe point, Liddy. Get to the point,â Hayley sighed.
âWell, who should be at the next table when we sat down but Aaron and his new lady friend.â
âPlease tell me that isnât why you left four frantic phone messages and came racing out here this morning nearly mowing us down!â Hayley screamed.
âOf course it is! Donât you want to know who heâs dating? It was exactly who we all suspected! And now I have hard evidence! I have an eyewitness! Me!â Liddy said, perplexed as to why Hayley wasnât reacting more to this big news.
âNo, Liddy. I donât. I told you I donât care.â
Hayley would be lying if she didnât admit to herself that deep down on some level she was slightly curious to know, but she certainly wasnât going to allow Liddy and Gemma to see that.
âYou canât be serious,â Liddy said, mouth agape.
âItâs none of my business . . .â
âCrystal Collier!â Liddy blurted out.
Really?
Crystal Collier?
Well, truth be told, Hayley was slightly surprised because Crystal just didnât seem to be Aaronâs type. She was a local lawyer with a very tough, hard demeanor, extremely ambitious, and with a habit of being very direct with people, sometimes at the expense of their feelings.
âSonny despises Crystal because sheâs stolen several of his clients, but he managed to fake it and smile and say hello as we passed by the table.â
âWell, youâve alerted me to this earth-shattering news so your work is done, Liddy. Thank you for sharing,â Hayley said, shaking her head, trying hard to cover her amazement that Aaron was dating an obnoxious ballbuster like Crystal Collier.
âGemma, you work so closely with Aaron Iâm shocked that you didnât already know,â Liddy said, eyeing her suspiciously.
âI did know,â Gemma said quietly.
âWhy wouldnât you tell your mother?â Liddy screamed.
âBecause as Iâve said a hundred times itâs none of my business!â Hayley yelled.
Gemma turned and put a hand on her motherâs shoulder. âI didnât mention it because I didnât want to hurt your feelings.â
âGemma, there is absolutely no reason to pussyfoot around me. I can handle Aaron dating someone new. In fact, I really, truly am happy for him that heâs getting out there again but . . .â
âBut what?â Liddy demanded to know.
âCrystal Collier?â
âSee! Youâre as dumbfounded as I am! How could Aaron choose a woman so aggressive and in your face? Sheâs so not his type!â
Liddy was right.
Crystal was far from Aaronâs type.
But then again how did she really know that?
Maybe Crystal was
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