Free Running From Fate by Rose Connelly Page B

you told him? I’m sure he was surpris ed by your older, matured body.  Who could have known that you would become such a hottie in 15 years? ”
    “For God’s sake Lily ,” she sputtered. “We didn’t discuss things like that.   Get your mind out of the gutter. ”
    “ Obviously m y mind’s not the only one in the gutter. How do you know that I was thinking anything dirty, unless you were too, huh? Try and explain that, smarty pants .” She giggled girlishly and stumbled slightly before collapsing onto the sofa.  “I think the champagne is starting to get to me. I feel a little drunk.”
    “Good,” Mira said. “ But I think that you should have another drink.” She filled two more cups and glanced forlornly at the empty bottle before sitting it down. “Slainte.” She lifted her cup and knocked it against Lily’s upheld one. A little liquid sloshed over the rim, but she ignored it and drained her champagne . Lily followed suit. “How do you feel?” Mira asked.
    “What?” The reply was a little slurred.
    “Good because I’ve something to say and you won’t like it.” It was apparent that h er b est friend was definitely drunk. Hopefully, that would make the news easier to take. She, of course, was only slightly tipsy and perfectly able to make a rational argument so she should have the upper hand. That is, if she could remember what she had wanted to talk about . Maybe if she closed her eyes for a minute.
    “ Hey, hey.”  Lily tried punching her in the arm and missed.  She sprawled across Mira.  She laughed and pushed herself upright.  “ You can’t go to sleep till I do and, first, I need to know what you were going to say.”
    “All right, I’ll tell you.” Mira forced her eyelids to open . “Just as soon as you stop shaking me.”
    “Sorry,” Lily said. She pulled her hand back and crossed her arms in front of her. “I’m ready now. What is it?”
    “Right, James.  The thing is I didn’t tell him.”
    “Didn’t tell him what?”
    “That I was Mira Sweeney not just Mira Anders. It seemed easier.”
    “Why was it easier?” Lily yawned and put her legs on the coffee table. She looked ready to pass out.
    “Because he’s avoided me for years. He might not have hired me if he knew who I was.”  She stretched and put her own legs up. It was probably time to think about going to bed, but the sofa was comfortable .  She might just stay here.
    “ Maybe he avoided you because he really wanted to see you.”
    “That’s,” yawn, “what Pat said, but that ki nd of thinking doesn’t make sense .”
    The t able shifted slightly as Lily moved her legs off and sat up straight. She pulled her fingers through her tousled hair. “Please tell me that old meddler didn’t put you up to this. It so unds like something he’d do.”
    Mira mirrored her friend and sat up , pulling her legs of the table . She shook her head in an effort to clear it. It did the opposite and she leaned forward and took deep breaths, trying to combat a wave of dizziness. “Pat loves me ,” she gasped.   “A nd he’s one of the most straightforward men I’ve ever met . I can’t see him manipulating me like that. ”
    “Not intentionally, no, but he also loves his son and that man wants grandkids desperately .  He would like nothing better than to see the two of you married.   This is a really bad idea .   Wait I know.   You haven’t started work yet .  Tell him you changed your mind. ”
    “I can’t do that.”
    “Why not? I know you could get a job somewhere else.” Lily turned her head and looked at her friend. Mira’s eyes were dark and tormented, but her expression was dreamy. “Oh shit. Tell me you don’t still feel that stupid infatuation that you did as a teen . ”
    “Worse. ”  She sighed. “ He walks in a room and I can barely breathe. It’s all I can do to keep my hands off of him.”
    “Damn it. If you were anyone else, I would say it’s just lust and tell you to get