forward she was being.
âThe Putting Edge! Well, you know how much I like geeky wordplay. Sure, Cor. Letâs do it.â
âGreat!â she said, overjoyed that she was moving this dating thing forward.
âSo you wanna ride to the set?â
âWell, our call isnât until noon because of last night. So if itâs all the same to you, I wouldnât mind tucking myself back in bed for a few more Zs.â
âDonât you think Max will want to talk to you sooner than noon?â
âWhy?â
âUm . . . you havenât read The âBu-hoo yet?â
âNo, I just woke up. Thatâs why my hairâs all ratâs-nesty and Iâm wearing my bathrobe. Is there anything wrong?â
âMaybe you should have a gander and then decide.â JB whipped his iPhone from his shorts and opened to The âBu-hoo. As he held the phone up for Corliss to see, her eyes grew wide at what she read . . .
Tanyaâs Condo at the Beachâ9:32 A.M.
Corliss banged on the door for the fifth time. But there was so much sound coming from inside no one heard her. âTanya, open up!â
Eventually the door flew open. Inside was a morass of stylists, florists, and champagne delivery boys climbing all over one another. It looked like West Hollywood on a Saturday night. Sandwiched way in the back, besieged by requests to sign this and accept that, was Tanya in a big, fluffy, terrycloth, thigh-grazing bathrobe. âCorliss!â she called out. âIâm way over here,â she said.
Corliss motored over, elbowing her way through the crowd of strangers. When she reached Tanya, she threw her arms around her. âI canât believe it! I read The âBu-hoo when I got up this morning and there it was!â
âI know!â squealed Tanya. âI donât know how everyone found out, but itâs true, Cor! Iâm going to be Mrs. Trent Owen Michaels! Isnât that the bestest best?!â
âItâs amazing, Tanya,â said Corliss, plucking a fluted glass of champagne out of her friendâs hand and moving her into the bedroom so that they could talk.
âWhat is it?â asked Tanya. âArenât you happy for me?â
âIâm totally happy for you, Tanya,â said Corliss, sitting Tanya down on the bed. âI just want to make sure youâve thought this whole marriage thing through.â
âWhat do you mean? I love Trent. Weâre going to be man and wife. Which means we can do it without burning in hell.â The look on Tanyaâs face was so uncomplicated, so full of simple joy at the solution, that Corliss could only smile.
âWell, that of courseâthe doing it without burning in hell businessâis one of the perks of marriage, Tanya. But what I meant was youâre not even twenty years old yet! Marriage is a commitment that lasts a lifetimeâor at least a part of a lifetime if youâre my mother. I mean, sheesh, itâs such a big deal.â
âCorliss,â said Tanya, patting her hand, âyouâre way too worried about this. Besides, I know in my heart itâs the right decision. The most amazing thing happened to tell me so! Do you want to hear?â
âOf course I do, butââ
âBut if I tell you, you canât tell anyone âcause theyâll think Iâm more ditzy than they already do!â
âWhat is it? You can trust me, Tans.â
Tanya took her hand, led her into her walk-in closet, and shut the door. Once they were plunked down on the floor in a pile of teeny-weeny bikinis, thongs, and halters, Tanya spoke in a reverent whisper. âOkay, this is going to sound completely nutsoâbut itâs true. The Virgin Mary came to me in a dream.â
Corliss cocked her head. She wasnât sure sheâd heard right. âYou mean Jesusâs mother?â Tanya nodded slowly and Corliss immediately worried for her
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