Page 30 of Secrets (Lost and Found 2)

“Well, you give it a try, or I’ll tell my doctor about the donuts.”

“I believe there is some culpability in that regard,” Tori joked.

“See, I knew you were a smart woman. We’ll make a pact. No mention of donuts. Not to anyone.”

“You got it. George.” She smiled as she punctuated his name.

Tori went to her desk feeling a lot lighter and more optimistic than she had just twenty-four hours earlier.What a difference a day makes,she thought to herself. Now that she was a bit more relaxed, she thought about that odd conversation at the coffee shop. Ringo’s? Thursday? What would her husband say? Maybe she wouldn’t tell him and surprise him. Maybe he wouldn’t like that either. She would decide when the time came. For now, she was looking forward to her excursion to the Stillwell Art Center to see if she could find the psychic and maybe a hobby.

Chapter Nine

Stillwell Art Center

Later that day

Luna hovered over Cullen’s shoulder as he gently disengaged the lock on the diary. “Do you mind?” He smirked. “Space. I need some.”

Luna backed away a few inches. She made an attempt to move in again, but Cullen caught her standing on her tiptoes and peering at him. “Will you please stop?” For the first time in a long time, he was losing his patience with his sister.

“Jeez. Fine. What’s gotten into you?” Luna took a huge step back.

“Sorry. Nothing really.”

“Oh, that ‘nothing really’ does not sound very convincing,” Luna taunted him.

Cullen set his fine tools down. “I need some advice.”

“OK, but keep working.” Luna was less interested in giving him advice than she was about what was in the diary. That wasn’t the norm. She would be all up in his business on any day of the week if she had an inkling something was going on with him.

“Never mind.” Cullen went back to disengaging the lock. He was about to hand it over to her. “You should probably wear gloves.”

“Good point.” Luna went to the drawer and pulled out a pair.

“Here. Happy now?” Cullen still had a grim look on his face.

“Ecstatic!” Luna hopped up and down. “Now, tell me what is it that requires my assistance?”

Cullen put his jewelry tools in their pouch and returned them to their drawer. “I think you know what I’m going to say.”

“That you should ask Chi-Chi out on a real date?” Luna gave him a wide-eyed look.

Cullen started to sputter. “But . . . how . . . ?”

“You can’t be serious. First of all, I am your sister. Second of all, I am a bit woo-woo. Third, I’ve been around you when you’re with her. Even Stevie Wonder could see it on your face.”

“So what should I do?” Cullen laughed nervously.

“Well, duh. Ask her.” Luna laid the diary down on a piece of tissue paper on the table. She then folded her arms. “What are you waiting for?”

“Me? What areyouwaiting for?” Cullen snapped back.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She brooded. “Besides, this is a conversation about you, buster. Just ask her if she’d like to have dinner with you. How hard is that?”

“Last night, when I was driving her back here, we discussed certain protocols. I told her that because of all the sexual harassment going on, it’s as if a woman has to invite a man to kiss her.”

“Say what?” Luna knitted her eyebrows. “You said that?”

“Yeah. Kinda stupid, but it was the only way I could explain it.”