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an adorable stuffed baby Sylvester (how he knew I like that
cartoon I'll never know) and yesterday he even paid for my
coffee. I can't take this.
"I didn't know you still wrote in that thing," Pierre said,
joining her at the table. "I should start one, but I'll never
have the patience to keep it going. I'll be bored after only one
entry."
"Writing helps calm me down." Snapping the journal shut,
Shea dropped it into her purse beside her chair. "Now tell me
the good news. The loan for the B&B finally came through,
right? I know you have connections with some of the
employees at the bank."
"Have you talked to Craig lately? I saw him the other day
and he asked me about you. Are the two of you getting back
together?"
"Craig needs to work on a better apology, and then I'll
think about taking him back."
"Don't think too long. I know of at least two women at my
workplace who have their eyes on him."
She wasn't going to think too long about getting back with
Craig. When he called her again and asked her out on another
date, she was going to say yes. She loved her daddy, but
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guys like Craig only came around once. "I won't, but why do
you keep changing the subject? Tell me the good news so I
can get started on the renovations. I want to have All the
Fixin' up and running by the spring."
"Oh, sweetheart," Pierre whispered. She reached across
the table and placed her unpolished hand on top of Shea's
polished one. "I don't know how to tell you this."
Shea could hear the pounding of her heart in her ears.
No.... I can't handle anything else.
"You didn't get the loan. The bank didn't think you would
be able to pay the money back."
"How in the hell can they say that? I only need a small
loan. I know they could have given me the money," Shea
complained, getting up from the chair and snatched her purse
off the floor as tears filled her eyes. "I have to leave. I never
thought they would turn me down."
Pierre was beside her in a matter of seconds. "Wait, let me
lend you the money and then you can pay me back."
Another handout I don't want, Shea thought. "Thank you,
but no."
"Don't leave like this. Let me call Craig. I know he can help
you."
Great, Craig would love that. She kept pushing him away
until she needed the mighty dollar and that's when she would
will him back with opened arms. "Pierre, I can figure this out
myself," she cried, blinking away tears. "I want Craig back
because he's in love with me, not out of pity." She gave her
friend a quick kiss on the cheek and left.
* * * *
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"Why did that happen to Shea?" Pierre asked, watching her
best friend rush to her car parked across the street.
Swinging back around, Pierre started back to her seat
when her foot kicked something hidden by the tablecloth.
Moving the linen back, she spotted a medium size black book.
She flipped through it and noticed it was Shea's diary ...
correction, journal, as her girlfriend called it.
"I know I should give this back to her, but I'm not. She
needs some help and she will get it. It doesn't matter if she
wants it or not."
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Chapter Thirty One
"Mr. Evans?"
Craig looked up from the computer screen and the letter
he was typing. "Yes," he answered watching the young
delivery guy saunter into his office like he owned it.
"I have an envelope that you need to sign." He handed the
package along with the pad. "Are you the same Craig Evans
that designs the new science fiction website on
alienlovers.com?"
"Yes," he replied, taking the package and scribbling his
name across the pad.
"Cool ass website. My twin boys love all the colors and how
real the aliens look. Do you mind if I ask for your autograph?
They will love me if I get it."
"I can do something even better than that." Craig opened
his bottom drawer. He pulled out a picture of the most
downloaded alien and signed them. "Here you go," he said,
handing the man the photos and the pad back. "Let your sons
know he's supposed to make a surprise appearance at the toy
store tomorrow to promote his new action figure."
"Thank so much. Tomorrow is their birthday and I was still
trying to figure out what to get them. This will be the best
present." The guy smiled at him and then rushed from his
office.
Craig held the package in his hand and turned it over a
couple of times before ripping it open. A thick, leather binder
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fell out, landing with a soft thump into the palm of his hand
there was a note attached.
Craig,
Shea, is going to kill me when she finds out I sent this to
you, but I don't care. The bank turned down her loan and
she's hurting. I know you can help her, but she's too proud to
ask you. If you love her, go to her and help her though this.
Pierre
His heart was breaking at Shea losing her dream and it
was all because of him. If he hadn't been so wrapped up in
Luscious Lips staying in the family, Shea would be with him
now and working on her bed and breakfast.
Craig weighed the pros and cons of opening the book
Pierre sent to him. He had so many good reasons to open it
and equally as many to return it to Shea without reading one
page. It only took him a matter of seconds before he had his
answer, and he prayed it wouldn't cost him Shea.
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Chapter Thirty Two
Shea absently dropped the breadcrumbs at her feet as the
ducks came up for their weekly treat. It was one of the
coolest days of the year, but she wasn't feeling a thing. All
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