Authors: Sandi Perry
"I'll
remember
to
cue
up
the
violins
next
time.
Any
benefits
that
came
our
way
were
courtesy
of
hard
work
and
tenacity
on
my
Dad's
part.
You
wouldn't
even
be
standing
here
with
me
now,
if
not
for
him."
"And
you'll
use
every
chance
to
throw
that
at
me,"
Bradley
said.
The
elevator
pinged
and
the
doors
opened.
"Straighten
yourself
up,
cousin.
I'll
share
one
more
piece
of
advice
I
learned
the
hard
way.
If
you
don't
want
to
be
pitied,
stop
acting
pitiful."
She
marched
off
and
left
Bradley
standing
alone
amidst
the
moving
throngs
of
people
passing
through
the
busy
building
lobby.
Allison
had
hardly
slept
on
the
flight
home
the
night
before.
She
was
wired
for
the
day
and
headed
out
early
the
next
morning
for
the
gallery.
Balancing
two
lattes,
her
oversized
tote
bag
and
a
flyaway
umbrella,
she
handed
a
cup
to
Emily
as
she
walked
in.
"Here,"
she
said
as
she
took
a
big
swallow.
"I
need
a
caffeine
transfusion."
She
looked
out
the
expansive
windows.
"I
love
fall
until
it
rains,
then
it's
just
an
awful
mess.
I
got
some
leaves
stuck
under
my
shoes
this
morning,
and
I
swear
I
almost
slid
down
the
subway
steps
on
my
ass,"
she
added.
"How
were
the
last
couple
of
days?"
"One
thing
at
a
time,"
Emily
said
as
she
fluffed
her
blonde
shaggy
bangs.
"How
did
things
go
at
the
auction?"
Allison
took
another
large
gulp
from
her
hot
coffee.
Emily
sipped,
too
and
waited
patiently.
“You
do
know
that
I
will
get
the
information
from
you
eventually,
so
you
might
as
well
tell
me
before
I
have
to
hurt
you,"
Emily
said.
Allison
smiled,
"Well,
it
turns
out
that
Alex,
formerly
known
as
a
country
bumpkin,
is
a
hot,
sexy
mess
who's
brighter
than
a
firefly
on
a
sultry
August
night."
"I
knew
something
there
wasn't
adding
up,"
Emily
sighed.
"Well
gosh
darn,
Em,
you
coulda
shared
that
with
me.
I
got
snowed—big
time."
"Your
radar
is
always
up;
how
did
he
slip
by
you?"
"Lack
of
sleep.
My
brain
is
foggy.
Tragedy
will
do
that
to
a
person,"
Allison
said.
Emily
put
down
her
coffee
and
put
her
hands
on
Allison's,
"You're
doing
an
amazing
job
handling
all
of
this.
You're
strong
and
smart
and
very
resilient.
Things
will
start
to
smooth
out
soon,
you'll
see.
On
another
note,
did
everything
get
cleared
up
in
L.A.?"
"It
was
almost
a
total
disaster.
I'll
be
surprised
if
there's
a
company
to
run
after
I'm
done
trying
to
figure
out
all
of
the
political
machinations.
I
can't
get
out
of
this
predicament
fast
enough!"
Allison
said.
"And
my
cousin,
Bradley,
what
a
head
case.
He's
bitter
and
carrying
around
so
much
baggage,
it's
any
wonder
he
can
even
stand
up
straight,"
she
finished.
"It
just
so
happens
that
I
thought
of
a
brilliant
idea
to
help
get
you
out
of
this
bind
as
quickly
as
possible,"
Emily
said.
Allison
threw
herself
onto
a
cushioned
bench.
"Go
on,
let
me
have
it."
“Since
you
have
to
make
a
decision
soon
about
who
will
run
the
company,
or
you’re
just
going
to
collapse,
why
don’t
you
do
what
they
do
on
that
show
The Bachelorette
?”
“What
are
you
talking
about?
You
want
me
to
date
twenty-five
guys?
I’m
busy
enough,”
Allison
said.
“No,
no,
when
they're
down
to
three
candidates,
each
guy
takes
the
bachelorette
back
to
their
hometown.
She
gets
to
meet
their
families,
their
old
schoolteachers,
etc.
It
helps
her
get
a
fuller
picture
when
she
sees
how
he
interacts
back
home.”
“You’ve
lost
your
mind,
Emily.
That’s
ridiculous,"
she
shook
her
head."
Did
we
get
that
pair
of
Yin
and
Yang
vases
yet
from
Maximillian?”
“Customs
held
it
up,
but
I
spoke
with
our
friend
there,
and
she
guaranteed
that
they
would
be
released
by
week’s
end.”
“Thanks,
you're
a
lifesaver—I
don't
know
what
I'd
do
without
you."
“You
know
I’d
do
anything
for
you.
What's
the
latest
from
the
police?
Heard
anything
lately?"