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"It’s true"
"Right I still think you’re great, Charity When he duain"
He walked out of the roo open
She didn’t knohich of Robert’s assumptions stunned her more The belief that Josh would dump her--not an "if" statement, but a when Or the assu out with Robert was because she’d been blinded by Josh’s brilliance
She’d already ot involved with Josh She’d done her best to prefer Robert
"Pinhead," she ocentric pinhead"
Funny how Josh had all the flash, but Robert turned out to be thein substance
Yet as she left the conference roo if she was blinded by Josh She was her hter, after all, and Sandra had always been interested in handsome, superficialThat Josh was more than he seemed Still, it would be up to her tofor the man rather than the persona
"WE HAVEN’T SEEN YOU here in a long time," Bella said as she co the not-so-subtle complaint inherent in her words
"Your last haircut was terrible"
He sed wolared at hio to her"
"I’ to discuss that with you"
Bella snorted "You know I’s?" he asked "They’re pretty"
She fingered the gold hoops at her ears "You’re trying to distractto pretend I’ve succeeded"
Hernot to smile
Bella Gionni and her sister Julia were the two best hair stylists in town Unfortunately, they’d been involved in a running feud for the past twenty-five years They had co shops on opposite sides of town To pick one over the other was to get involved in the fight The probleument
The surest way to keep the peace, and the one Josh had chosen, was to alternate his business Each of the to either of them would be easier, he knew, but that wasn’t an option He owed the sisters While he’d had e paid for by scholarships, there hadn’t been quite enough to cover everything The town had co for both him and Ethan He happened to know that Marsha had contributed the est donors had been the Gionni sisters
"I heard you’re dating Charity," Bella said as she began to cut his hair
He winced "I’ to talk about that"
"Of course you are She’s nice I heard she’s thinking of getting highlights" She smiled "They’re for you, I think I knohen a woman wants to look pretty for a man" She winked
He shifted unco"
"More than dating, eh? I hear things, Joshua What the ladies say"
He so didn’t want to be having this conversation with a woh to be his mother "There’s a lot of talk Most of it is just that"
"Maybe,time since you went on a date"
"A couple of years," he adet back on the horse"
Just the visual that Josh needed
PIA WALKED INTO CHARITY’S office and flopped down on a seat "Have a minute?" she asked
"Sure" Charity studied her friend’s sad expression "What’s wrong?"
"It’s Crystal The last round of che They’ve run out of treatht tears "She’s deciding if she wants to stay hoo into a facility Hospice care," she added "She said the doctor gave her two months Maybe three"
Charity sed "I’m sorry Hoful" She didn’t know Crystal very well, but felt badly for all she’d gone through
"It’s been horrible We’d really hoped that last round of cheotten so weak I don’t think she can be at home by herself And she says she likes the idea of a hospice She says they’re actually really nice places"
"Is it in town?" Charity asked
"Uh-huh I’ll get to go see her and stuff, but I don’t want her to die" Pia wiped the tears off her cheek "I hate this There’s nothing I can do toI can think of to do"
"People worry about their pets Taking her cat will be a big help"
"I’m not really a pet person," Pia ad about cats Crystal says he’s quiet and clean I guess I’ll get a book or so It’s just so unfair"
Charity nodded There didn’t seem to be any words
"She’s already lost her husband," Pia continued "All she ever wanted was to getto happen And I know she’s worried about those e to donate them to research, but they can’t stay frozen forever Can you i to decide the fate of children you’ll never have?"
"No," Charity said truthfully It was an impossible decision One no woman should ever have to ht want the embryos?"
"No It’s just her" Pia looked at her "Sorry You were probably having a good day before I showed up"
"I’m happy to listen"
"Thanks" She drew in a deep breath "I’d better get back to work I’et to know her cat a little better"
"You’ll be a good pet mom," Charity told her "You’ll care and that’s whatme vent"
"Anytime I mean that"
Pia nodded and left
Charity stared after her Crystal’s situation did seem bitterly unfair The dile To have to lose everything like that
She thought about her own life, about the second chance she’d been given to be a part of a faift
She rose and walked down the hall to Marsha’s office Her grandmother sat at her desk She smiled when she saw Charity