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"I a out with Pia and her friends I irl So desperately sad When she lost her husband, I coh We were all so excited when she decided to have their embryos implanted But then they discovered she was sick It’s just not fair"

"I knoas thinking that when Jo told me about her situation That it would help Crystal to have a child, but if she’s sick…"

"I knohat youboth parents would be so difficult I so when He put all this in motion We all hope she makes a full recovery It’s just the doctors seem to think that’s unlikely"

Marsha smiled at her "And this is the part of small-town life that is difficult We know each other’s joys, but we also know each other’s sorrows" She shook her head "And now let’s talk about so more cheerful I couldn’t help but notice you had dinner with Robert the other night Was that fun?"

Charity wasn’t used to discussing her personal life with her boss She knew that Marsha was just being friendly, but she honestly didn’t knohat to say, ith Robert being the town treasurer and all

"He’s a great guy"

"Very eligible"

"It’s a little early to beme off"

"True, but I can’t help it I have apeople fall in love Robert seehed "Which sounds awful, but you knohat IHe’s not flashy"

Not like Josh, Charity thought, doing her best not to remember the brief but incredible kiss she and Josh had shared No point in belaboring the impossible, not to h so could be said for a man ill always surprise you"

Charity blinked "Excuse me? What happened to steady?"

"I suppose I’ time He’s like a son to me I’d like to see him settle doith someone special"

Charity would like to see hi to mention that "Wasn’t hefor him Talk about flashy I tried to tell hi part of his anatorinned "I do"

"He’s so ive him credit for I still remember the first time I saw him He and his mother had moved here from Arizona Josh had been in a horrible accident He’d been hiking with his mother and fallen down the side of aHe could barely walk--his poor legs were so twisted"

Charity tried to coe with the man she knew It was is, but perfect isn’t one of them But I knohat you mean He has that face and that body But when he was a boy, it was a different story She left him"

"His mother?"

"Yes She abandoned him about four months after they moved here Just walked out one afternoon Got in her car and drove away I found Josh standing outside theirfor her At first we all assumed she would come back But she didn’t We looked for her, of course, but if a person doesn’t want to be found, hiding isn’t that hard"

Charity had grown upto be the new girl, but she’d never been abandoned Sandra had been flakey and selfish, but she’d never considered leaving Charity behind It was one thing to lose a parent through an accident or illness, but to be discarded… How did anyone recover from that?

"What happened?" she asked

"No one knehat to do There was the foster care system, which eren’t enthused about, but it wasn’t as if the town could adopt a boy He needed stability The city council met to make a decision when Denise Hendrix walked in She already had six children of her own, including triplet girls, if you can ie She said one more child wouldn’t ood friends Best friends They used to ride bikes together"

"I’ve heard the na company? He’s on my list of people to visit"

"Yes, that’s him He also has the construction firm he inherited from his father You’ll like Ethan" Marsha’s eyes twinkled "He’s single, too A er"

Charity laughed "You’ve got to stop trying to fix ure it out on et Fool’s Gold new businesses My love life can wait"

"It see a house?"

"Yes I’ood time There’s a lot to choose from in town You should talk to Josh He always knohen a new property is co on the market"

Charity raised her eyebrows

Marsha shook her head "Ito fix you up"

"I don’t think I believe you"

Marsha winked "You probably shouldn’t I can be wily"

Once again Charity was delighted she’d taken this job Working for Marsha was a pleasure and she hoped she and the ood friends Marsha was easy to be with

There was a knock on her open door She looked up and saw Robert walking toward theal-looking letter "This couldn’t wait"

Marsha scanned the letter "It’s fro up on money they sent It was earmarked for road repair They want confirmation that it was used correctly"

"Road repair I don’t know anything about this"

"None of us do," Robert said "The "

Charity shifted her gaze to Marsha, who looked stunned

"Howabout?" the mayor asked

"Seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars"

"THANKS FOR TAKING CRYSTAL’S place on the committee," Pia said as she and Charity walked to the recreation center by the park

"I’et involved with town activities"