Picture This by Jayne Denker Page A

back room of a shack? Some kind of crappy motel? Haunted?”
    â€œNone of those things,” Wendy said, oblivious to her daughter’s mortification. “It’s a lovely old home that the owner is turning into an inn.”
    â€œSounds really nice. But Celia seems a little against the idea.”
    Her mother flapped her hand, recently freed from her yarn tangle. “Oh, she’s probably just embarrassed because Casey was her high school boyfr—”
    â€œMom!”
    â€œWhat? It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You two used to be so cute together—”
    â€œMom, please .”
    â€œEx-boyfriend, eh?” Niall couldn’t stop his eyebrow from creeping up toward his hairline as a grin spread across his face. He crossed his arms and rocked back on his heels. “Interesting. Very interesting.”
    Celia ducked her head, focusing on getting out the last of the yarn tangles at her mother’s waist. “No. No, it’s not interesting in the least.”
    Niall raised an eyebrow to silently ask, Is this the high school boyfriend? Feeling his eyes on her, Celia met his gaze, then blushed and looked away again. Ah. It was the high school boyfriend she’d mentioned in the car. But obviously it wasn’t something to bring up now.
    â€œIt’s the perfect place,” Wendy persisted. “It’s very nice, and they need people to practice on before they open up the inn to guests this fall. You’d really be doing them a favor.”
    Niall started to come up with an excuse not to stay there, but Celia cut him off. “You know what? Mom’s right. It’s ancient history. Go ahead.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    She nodded. “It’s no big deal. In fact, I’ll call Casey for you.”

Chapter 9
    â€œI can’t believe you didn’t drive him over yourself,” Celia’s mother admonished her, stuffing her knitting into a large tapestry bag. “What if he gets kidnapped by rabid fans?”
    Celia gaped. “You know who he is?”
    Her father grunted. “Of course we do. You think we’re a couple of rubes?”
    â€œThen why didn’t you say something?”
    â€œWell. Couldn’t let him get too full of himself now, could we? Gotta keep the boy humble.”
    Celia shook her head and gathered up the end of the knitting at her mother’s feet. “Unbelievable.”
    Wendy Marshall giggled and took the yarn from her daughter. “We have to find our fun wherever we can. Sorry I can’t make you dinner, dear. I would love to have a nice long sit-down and hear all about your new boyfriend. But I’ve got to get to the yarn bombing.”
    â€œHe’s not my boyfriend, Mom.”
    â€œIt’s about time you found somebody new.”
    â€œAin’t that the truth,” her father chimed in. “Although I don’t know about this guy. You can’t trust celebrities. I’d prefer it if you found somebody decent.”
    Celia ignored the fact that she pretty much shared her father’s sentiment, which disturbed her greatly. “Niall’s decent,” she protested, even if she wasn’t sure that was true. “And you’ve never liked any of the men in my life.”
    â€œI liked Casey.”
    â€œThat was high school. Ages ago.”
    â€œI thought you two were trying to work it out a while back.”
    â€œNo, we’re just friends. He and Georgiana Down are perfect together, so let it go, all right?”
    Her father grunted again. “City’s getting to you. You’re getting . . . prickly.”
    Celia laughed. “I think it’s a good thing.”
    â€œSo do I,” her mother agreed, but she whispered it. “Although I think there’s some justice in Casey playing host to your new boyfriend. It’s good for Casey—it might make him start wondering what he missed out on.”
    Celia flailed around for a few seconds,