BooksBarbecue
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Chapters (88)
  1. Cover Page
  2. Front Flap
  3. Title Page
  4. Acknowledgments
  5. Dedication
  6. Contents
  7. 1
  8. 2
  9. 3
  10. 4
  11. 5
  12. 6
  13. 7
  14. 8
  15. 9
  16. 10
  17. 11
  18. 12
  19. 13
  20. 14
  21. 15
  22. 16
  23. 17
  24. 18
  25. 19
  26. 20
  27. 21
  28. 22
  29. 23
  30. 24
  31. 25
  32. 26
  33. 27
  34. 28
  35. 29
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. 64
  71. 65
  72. 66
  73. 67
  74. 68
  75. 69
  76. 70
  77. 71
  78. 72
  79. 73
  80. 74
  81. 75
  82. 76
  83. 77
  84. 78
  85. 79
  86. 80
  87. Back Flap
  88. Back Cover

Hayley stood for a moment on the sidewalk. She’d had to push the thought of Scott to the back of her mind and act like a professional who was at the top of her game while she was with Laurinda. Now, left alone, her thoughts returned full force to her own problems. A sick feeling came over her.

Turning on her heel, she started toward Broadway. Even though the air was hot and sticky, she felt the need to walk a few blocks before she found a cab. Images of Scott came rushing back to her. He got engaged last night, then asks me out Saturday? What is going on? Will his fiancée be out of town?

I have to call Regan and tell her. Hayley reached in her purse for her BlackBerry. She checked her e-mails and saw that her assistant had sent several messages that were marked as urgent.

Hayley dialed her office. “Angie, what’s going on?”

“Super news, Hayley! A big television producer from L.A. just got to town. He wants to create a buzz for a new reality show he’s doing about celebrity therapists and heard what a great party you organized last night. He’d like to meet with you right away.”

“Define ‘right away.’”

“He’s sitting by the pool on the rooftop of his hotel in SoHo. Isn’t that cool? Can you join him now?”

“Of course.” Hayley walked to the curb and hailed a cab. Better to focus on work, she thought. I’ll call Regan after my meeting.

While the cab rattled downtown, Hayley searched her BlackBerry for all the background information she could find on her prospective client. When she stepped onto the rooftop of his hotel, the producer was easy to spot. Deeply tanned, he was sipping champagne and surrounded by half a dozen young assistants.

“Hayley, darling, is that you?” the producer asked, raising his designer sunglasses.

Here we go. “Yes, it is,” Hayley said with a big smile. “I am so thrilled that you called….”

44

Cleo Paradise is a goner.

I wish I didn’t have to wait until tonight.

45

Regan started out to her mother’s car, then decided to talk to Edna first. It wouldn’t be easy to hold her attention for too long with everything going on, but Regan had a few quick questions. She found the self-described garage sale hostess in the backyard, standing near the pool with her friends. Edna was introducing Nora while one of the security guards swept up the broken glass inside the gazebo.

“And this is Nora’s daughter, Regan,” Edna beamed. “Say hello, Regan.”

“Hello, everyone. Edna, could I speak to you a moment? It’s about the phone call.”

“Certainly. Excuse me, ladies. As soon as that gentleman is finished, we’ll have lemonade in the gazebo.”