Read Online My Favorite Mistake by Stephanie Bond - Free Book Online

me and Redford.”
    Jacki angled her head. “Is there?”
    “No!” I said quickly. “Of course not. Redford has a family.”
    “He remarried?”
    “Yes,” I said, then squinted. “Wel , he didn’t say so exactly, but he mentioned children…girls.”
    “Marriage and children aren’t mutual y exclusive,” Cindy pointed out.
    “Is he stil in the Marine Corps?” Jacki asked.
    “Retired a few months ago. He joined his family horse business in Kentucky.”
    “Oh, that’s so romantic,” Cindy said. “He’s a cowboy! Does he wear a hat?”
    “I have no idea. He has his life, and I have mine. When this audit is over, we’l never see each other again.”
    “What about this audit?” Jacki asked. “Are you in trouble?”
    “I don’t think so. I cal ed the field office this morning to confirm our appointment and from al appearances, it seems pretty routine.” At least I hoped so.
    “You’d better be careful,” Jacki said, pointing her fork at me. “The IRS can ruin your life.”
    “My cousin Joey had to go to jail for six months,” Cindy declared.
    I frowned. “That’s kind of extreme…did he not even bother to file?”
    “Oh, he filed, but a fast-talking tax preparer found al these so-cal ed ‘deductions’ that saved him a ton of money. Next thing you know, my cousin’s being audited and the tax preparer has skipped town. Joey winds up in the clink, with a record for fraud. He lost his job and his wife left him. Sad.”
    I felt myself go pale. Trayser Brothers would fire me on the spot if I was charged with tax fraud. “I d-don’t expect anything like that to happen. But stil , I’d like to keep this quiet,” I said sheepishly. “My clients might misunderstand.”
    “Does Barry know?” Jacki asked.
    I shook my head.
    “So you don’t plan to tel Barry about the audit, about Redford, or that you were married?”
    “Technical y, she wasn’t married,” Cindy argued.
    “Not according to the IRS,” Jacki murmured, then gave me a probing look before turning back to her salad.
    I studied a crouton, feeling guilty and miserable.
    “When does the cowboy arrive?” Cindy asked, changing the subject with a sledgehammer.
    “Friday.”
    “The audit is Friday?”
    My cheeks warmed. “Um, no, the audit isn’t until next Tuesday, but Redford wants to do some sightseeing.”
    Jacki looked up. “You’re taking the man sightseeing?”
    My defenses reared. “Just like I’ve taken dozens of friends sightseeing who’ve come to the city. And he wants to go look at a stud for sale upstate.”
    Jacki’s mouth jumped at the corners. “And you always take visitors stud-shopping.”
    I frowned. “I’m not going with him, for goodness’ sake. I don’t even like horses.”
    Jacki nodded, but gave me that look again. “So when does Barry get back in town?”
    “He’l be in L.A. for two weeks, maybe three.”
    “But that’s perfect!” Cindy cut in. “Barry never has to know that Redford was even here.”
    “My thoughts exactly,” I said, feeling better. “This whole mistake with Redford wil be tied up before Barry gets back.”
    Jacki nodded thoughtful y. “A good plan,” she conceded, then gave me a sly smile. “As long as you don’t repeat your mistake.”
    I swal owed hard. “No chance of that happening…none at al .”

    WHEN I GOT HOME from work that evening, I tried to push aside thoughts of cal ing Redford to firm up his schedule. Procrastinating, I checked my auction on eBay.
    When the page loaded, I felt a tiny bit relieved to see that the auction stood at only one bid. True, the bidder had met my reserve price of $275, but maybe I’d attracted a no-pay bidder. Normal y, of course, I would report a no-pay bidder, but in this case, I’d be wil ing to let it slide in order to keep the gown.
    Then I zeroed in on the bidder’s user ID: SYLVIESMOM. My mouth pinched involuntarily—the woman at Filene’s who had tried to pry the gown off my body had said her daughter’s name