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"He wanted me to wax hiet waxed It cuts down on air friction" She turned her attention back to the group "He was on the table, wearing these tiny little briefs Man, oh man, all I can say is that the ruerated"

Renee/Michelle sagged back in her chair and sucked in a breath "That night ot the best sex of his life and he never knehy" She fanned herself with her hand

Robert walked back into the room, a can of soda in his hand He looked around the table, then sighed "You’re talking about Josh, aren’t you?"

Charity resisted the urge to squirm in her seat

"Of course," Pia said "We can’t help it"

Charity wanted to snap that he was just one guy and not all that, but she was afraid she would sound like she had so to hide

"He’s theinvestor back east ca camp," Gladys said "Josh wouldn’t do it He said he wouldn’t exploit his fahed

Charity privately thought he probably hadn’t done it because being involved would cut into the hours he spent getting laid If anyone here was special, it was Robert, not Josh Robert was a regular guy, doing an honest day’s ith reat athlete, but he wasn’t a god No ht try to tell her

Marsha slipped on her reading glasses "If we could get back to the subject at hand," she said, her quiet voice instantly silencing the other chatter "Tiffany will be here anyof merit when she arrives"

"Tiffany?" Police Chief Alice asked "Seriously?"

"Tiffany Hatcher" Marsha scanned the paper in front of her "She’s twenty-three and getting her PhD in Huraphy And before you ask, I went online and looked it up It’s the study of why people settle where they settle In other words, she’s studying e don’t have enough men in Fool’s Gold"

The women all looked at each other Robert chuckled "You have rateful," Gladys told him "But you’re only one h He caught her eye and grinned

Marsha sighed "As much as I wanted to keep our proble to happen Tiffany is very excited about the opportunity to publish her thesis when it’s finished So the whole world is going to know"

"Unless no one reads it," Alice said

"I don’t think we’ll be that lucky," Pia said "Men or a lack of them is sexy The media loves sexy topics"

"How can a lack of men be sexy?" Gladys asked

Just then there was a timid knock on the open door Charity turned and saw a tiny, dark-haired young wo in the entrance to the conference room Marsha had said Tiffany was in her twenties, but she could easily have passed for thirteen She had big eyes, long dark hair and an earnest expression that iant pain in the butt with her questions

"Your assistant said I should coetically

"Of course, dear," Marsha said, rising "We’ve been expecting you Everyone, this is Tiffany She’s going to do her dissertation on whyaway from Fool’s Gold"

"Actually, you’re only a chapter," Tiffany said, her voice as tiny as the rest of her

"Lucky us," Charity whispered to Pia

CHAPTER FIVE

CHARITY STEPPED INTO Angelo’s at exactly seven on Wednesday night The Italian restaurant ithin walking distance of the hotel,else in town The outside ashed, with a big patio seating area Inside, the tables were covered hite tablecloths and the subdued lighting gave the intiant air A dozen different delicious s her rowl Her salad at lunch suddenly see waiter and grab a couple of slices of rose at a table near the opposite wall

"Go right in," the hostess said with a smile "Enjoy your dinner"

"Thanks"

Robert rose as she approached

There were several other diners already in the restaurant Maybe she was i watched by those already seated

"Are they keeping tabs on me or you?" Robert asked quietly as he held out her chair

She laughed "I noticed that, too" She sat down "I can’t decide if it’s because I’irl or if it’s because you’re out on a date What with you being a single man and therefore precious and rare"

He settled across from her "You think the lack of reat hardship for you Poor Robert Too htened with amusement "Fame can be difficult There’s a lot of responsibility"

She wished he hadn’t said the word fame For some reason, it made her think of Josh, and she’d been deter out, even in spirit

"You can handle it," she said as she picked up her napkin and put it on her lap

Their server, an older woht the," Robert said "Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Thank you, yes" She grinned "I’ht, so I can even have two"

"Wild"

"I have lass of the house Chianti A few ht over a basket of bread and a saucer of olive oil for dipping

"The bread is excellent," Robert said, offering her the basket

"I was afraid of that," Charity said "I’ll wait and try it later" Closer to when they would get their meal, so she wouldn’t have a chance to inhale every slice "Hoas your weekend with your friends?"

"Good We went to a Giants ga married next month, so the trip was kind of a bachelor celebration"

"I’m impressed you ith baseball and not a strip club"