Page 51

Vi got up and came around from behind her desk. “Thanks, Diane.”

Diane winked and left Vi’s office.

In a matter of minutes Vi had gone from being mortified her boss saw her making out with Cory in the parking lot to hopeful that maybe her promotion would come through soon.

Vi smiled as she thought about what she was going to do. “I’m going to ask Cory Sloan on a date.”

Vi pulled into the parking lot of The Liquor Box and thought back to what her boss had told her yesterday. The roadblocks to allowing her friendship with Cory to flourish seemed to be clearing.

“Isn’t this a nice surprise,” Cory said as Vi walked into The Liquor Box. “You’ve come to see me on your day off.”

Vi chuckled. “What makes you think I’ve come to see you? And why do you think it’s my day off?”

“It’s Saturday. Surely, you’re not out working on accounts today,” Cory replied.

“I’ve been known to work on Saturday, but you’re right. I’m not today.”

“Well, if you didn’t come to see me…” Cory shrugged.

“You know I did,” Vi said with a big smile. “I’d like to take you up on your trade offer. And in a gesture of good faith, I will not try to land the country club account. If you’d like for me to take a look at it, I’d be happy to see if I could help you.”

Cory’s mouth fell open and Vi started to laugh. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you this surprised or speechless.”

The biggest smile grew on Cory’s face, but before she could say anything, CeCe and Alexis walked into the store from the opening that led to CeCe’s salon.

Cory looked from Vi back to CeCe then squeezed Vi’s hand. “Hang on, I’ll be right back.” She went to the counter and reached under it to pull out a bottle in a brown sack.

“Here you go, sis. Hi Alexis,” Cory said in a playful voice.

“Hey, Cory. How’s it going?”

“It’s a good day!” Cory grinned.

Vi looked on and saw CeCe widen her eyes at her sister’s exuberance then shake her head as she grabbed the bottle.

“Okay?” Alexis looked from Cory to CeCe. “It must be a Sloan sisters thing,” she mumbled.

CeCe hurried them out of the liquor store and into the salon.

Vi looked on at this exchange and thought CeCe had looked nervous, but it was obvious that she and Alexis were in love. Vi wondered if she’d ever look at anyone the way CeCe and Alexis looked at each other.

“Sorry.” Cory watched them walk through the salon and over to the bookstore. “CeCe is about to propose to Alexis,” she added, lowering her voice.

“No way!” Vi exclaimed.

“Shh!” Cory said to Vi, wide-eyed.

“No wonder she looked so nervous. How sweet,” Vi said.

“Yeah, she’s—” Cory stopped and looked over at Vi with a raised eyebrow. “Do you know about the room in the back of the bookstore?”

“The room in the back? Do you mean The Bottom Shelf?”

Cory’s eyes widened once again. “You do know.”

Vi watched as Cory’s cheeks began to pinken. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know,” Cory said with confusion in her voice.