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“I was looking at her differently because something didn’t seem quite right with her.”

“Right?” Taylor said with a grin. “She came back and bought one of the expensive bottles of wine then asked me about wholesale prices for the wine on that display.” Taylor pointed to a display near the front of the store.

“What did you tell her?”

“I told her she’d have to talk to you.”

Cory nodded. “Hmm, I wonder who she is. Something seemed different about her.”

Taylor shrugged.

“How did she pay? Did she use a credit card?” Cory asked.

“Yes,” Taylor replied, opening the register and searching through the receipts. “Here it is.”

They looked at the signature and the name above it.

“I knew it!” Cory exclaimed.

“What? I don’t understand,” Taylor said.

“It says her name is Violet Valdez, but below her name it says Spec’s Wine and Spirits,” Cory said.

“Spec’s, the big discount liquor chain all over the metroplex?” Taylor said.

“Exactly!” Cory studied the receipt. “I wonder why she would be coming to our open house. We’re just the neighborhood liquor store.”

“I don’t know.” Taylor shrugged. “You’re the marketing genius. I’m just your loyal manager.”

Cory smiled. “You are and I plan to get you more help, too.”

“I have a friend who needs a job. She’s tired of the restaurant bar scene.”

“Then why would she want to work in a liquor store?”

“She doesn’t want to wait tables, but she knows her beer, wine, and liquor.”

“Tell her to come by and talk to me.”

Taylor grinned. “Would you look at that, she’s walking into the store right now.”

Cory laughed and after Taylor introduced her friend, Randi, Cory took her to her office to fill out an application. She did a quick interview and was satisfied with Randi’s answers as they walked back to the front of the store.

“What’s happening at The Liquor Box?” CeCe asked as she walked into the store along with Cat.

“Let me introduce you to our new employee. This is Randi,” Cory said.

“Really!” Randi exclaimed.

“The job is yours if you want it.” Cory grinned.

“Thank you!”

“These are my sisters, CeCe and Cat. They own the other stores in the building.”

“Oh, I know all about the Sloan sisters,” Randi gushed.

"You do?” Cory asked.