Page 71 of When Love Is Lost and Found

"We're in love. Sharon, you have to come. You're my maid of honor. Do you want to be my maid of honor? You're my best friend. Of courser you want to be my maid of honor. Ugh, you should see my engagement ring. It's perfect!"

"I'm so happy for you, Betty!" I exclaim, looking at my ring. "I'm sure it's beautiful."

"You don't sound happy. What's wrong? Sharon?"

"I'm happy," I say before I break down in tears and tell her about my conversation with Mrs. Bowman.

"I thought Jonathan was Jimmy's friend," she says. "Why would your working for his parents upset her?"

"I don't know," I say, wiping my eyes in frustration. "I have to talk to Jon and find out why Jimmy's parents don't like him. The few times Jimmy mentioned him to me were all positive. Jon was his best friend in boot camp."

"Maybe that's it," she says. "Maybe she feels threatened by the relationship you've developed with Jon. Their son is gone. You've moved cross country with a new family and a new man."

"It's not like that!" I exclaim.

"I know that!" she says. "I'm just throwing out theories."

"She told me I should talk to Jon almost as if talking to him is going to reveal something that will show me what a horrible thing I've done and the mistake I've made by working for this family and befriending him."

"How are things going with Jon?" Her tone is teasing.

"He kissed me."

"What?! When? How? And by how, I mean how was it?!"

"Stop," I laugh. "Let me tell you."

"That's so tragic and so incredibly romantic," she says when I tell her the kiss came after Jon's nightmare. "But, no, really," she adds. "How was it?"

Betty is the only person I can truly confide in. I keep nothing from her, so I tell her.

"It was intense, passionate, thrilling, and oh, so good. I felt it from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet. My knees got weak, and inside, I felt an explosion of sensations I'd never felt before. I melted in his arms."

"Don't hold back, girl," she laughs. "Really, how was it?"

"Betty, I work for his parents. How inappropriate would it be for their son to start dating one of their employees?"

"Dating? Are you going to start seeing this guy? Well, now we know why Mrs. Bowman doesn't like him."

"She doesn't know."

"She's a mom," she says. "They know everything. She probably heard it in the tone of your voice. The second you said Jon, she probably pictured you two making out."

"No," I say, "It was more than that. As much as I hate to think about it, I must talk to Jon about Jimmy. It's time for me to know exactly what happened."

"I'm sorry," Betty says. "I know you were trying to avoid it, but if you like Jon and there's something there, don't leave any stone unturned."

"He has an ex-girlfriend who just moved here to be close to him."

"Oh, oh. That sure complicates things."

"And I'm going on a date with a guy I met at the bank."

"What? Wait, I thought you were going out with Jon."

"His name is Patrick. He's really sweet, and he asked me out. I don't want to date Jon, so I said yes."

"Sharon! You hussy. I didn't think you had it in you."

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