Page 318 of Small Town Firsts
Excuse me?
Unknown:
Don’t play dum. Are you conning her? She has a legion of spirit sisters behind her.
I looked up just as Stacey burst into a round of fresh sobs while Ryan poured water into a paper cup. “He told me he was taking me to Bimini for our anniversary. I found the tickets. Then I realized he was planning to takeher.”
I needed to usher Stacey into the conference room if I had any hope of getting out of here anytime soon. And I had to, dueto my followup appointment from yesterday’s impulsive move. Whatever happened, it had to make more sense than the chaos my life had recently become.
Forget sex hex. A life hex might be more accurate.
Another text appeared.
Unknown:
I realize you’ve been in a drought—or is that a lie too?
Finally, the mad texter had revealed herself. La-la-Luna. It had to be.
I quickly responded.
What do you mean too, as if there is more than one lie? You don’t know that I’ve lied. How did you get this number?
Unknown:
How do you think I got it? I borrowed Ryan’s phone when she was drunk dozing.
My frown deepened. When had Ryan been drunk? Obviously, in the recent past, since she’d only had my number for a matter of days.
I quickly added her to my contacts and tapped out an irritated response.
And you accuse me of lying when you are a thief?
Luna:
Hello, I am her best friend. All her stuff is mine & vice versa.
Thank you for educating me. Now if you’ll excuse me from this inane conversation, I have work to do.
My client was now dramatically reclining on the sofa while Ryan slid a pillow under her head and cooed softly to her. I didn’t know how we could possibly have a meeting while she was prone. This was not a therapist’s couch. I didn’t deal with people who weren’t upright for the conversation.
But thank God Ryan was here. She was handling all…that.I’d had a few crying clients in the past—and screaming, swearing, and occasionally physically violent ones, though usually at their soon-to-be ex-spouse, not me. But Stacey Franklin seemed particularly full of woe.
“It was just yesterday that he told me about Bimini. I was so excited. Then I came to pick him up after work because his car was in the shop, and his penis was in her mouth!”
I shut my eyes. Was it too late for me to consider a new career? Right now, anything sounded good.
And la-la-Luna was still texting.
Luna:
You know what’s inane? Claiming to be so righteous then dropping drawers in like, a sec.
She had a point, even if I’d not claimed righteousness nor stripped down. But I could agree my message had been inconsistent with my behavior. I didn’t accept all the blame, however. Some could be laid at the green-tipped toes of one Ryan G. Moon.
But Luna had more to add.
Luna:
