Free The Debra Dilemma (The Lone Stars Book 4) by Katie Graykowski Page B

that involved walking a blonde-haired little boy to the park. He always insisted on holding her hand. Part of her wondered if she was just looking for a connection so her mind would believe he was really here, much like going to see a psychic and trying to make the prediction mean something.
    “Before, he wasn’t ready to get born yet.” Julia nodded her head in his direction. “But soon.”
    Tears rolled down Debra’s face and dotted the red satin. She couldn’t have cared less. It didn’t matter in the slightest that this couldn’t be true, she swept Julia up in a tight hug. “I’m so glad you came over to play with me today.”
    Julia hugged her back with her whole body. It soothed her tears away.
    “Makeup.” The little girl threw Debra a sad boo-boo face that said she needed makeup now or her world would crumble.
    So talking with the dead was over.
    “Okay, Your Majesty, let’s get some makeup on you.” Debra couldn’t help but glance in the direction AJ had supposedly been. She wanted to believe it…needed to believe it.
    Thirty minutes later, they had enough makeup on to make any beauty pageant coordinator happy, were wearing some of the diamonds Debra had inherited from both sides of her family, and Debra’s hair had been coiffed with a gazillion rhinestone barrettes by a bossy three-year-old.
    As they were about to sit down to the Limoges tea set she’d inherited from her grandmother, knocking sounded from her front door.
    She looked down at Julia. “I hope your mother’s not here this early. We haven’t had our tea.”
    Julia drew in a deep breath. “No no.”
    They picked up their hems and made their way to the front door. The doorbell bing-bonged. She opened the door and the last person on earth she wanted to see stood there holding a bouquet of pink and white Star Aster lilies. Of course they were her favorites. She’s always thought that a man who bought red roses for his woman had no imagination. She rolled her eyes.
    “Uncle Weiner,” Julia held her arms up, “kiss.”
    “Uncle Weiner?” Debra smiled in spite of herself. “That’s funny.”
    “Absolutely, Your Majesty.” He gave Julia a low courtly bow and then gave her a loud kiss on the lips. He avoided Debra’s eyes.
    Why exactly was he here? Had he known Julia was with her today? She didn’t think Summer would have told him. On Debra’s behalf, she hated Warren. Whether Debra liked it or not, she had friends and they had her back. It was nice to know that there were people she could call and rely on.
    “Flowers.” Julia grabbed the bouquet. “Mines.”
    “Clearly, I’ve interrupted something very important.” He inspected Julia’s and then Debra’s appearance. His eyes fastened on her cleavage. Compared to the floozy dresses she used to wear, this V-neck was ‘G’ rated, but it did still show a little bit of breast.
    “Tea party.” Julia squashed the flowers to her chest as she grabbed Warren’s hand and pulled him inside. “Stay and play.”
    Not the first three words that had popped to Debra’s mind when she’d seen him, but since Julia was in charge, she didn’t have a choice but to let him inside her condo.
    “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.” He kept his eyes on Julia, no doubt because he knew that Debra wanted nothing to do with him. He’s loosened his light green tie, but his gray, tailored, Armani three-piece suit was wrinkle free.
    The afternoon had definitely taken a turn for the worse. How long was he staying and was there any way this wasn’t going to turn out awkward?
    Julia handed Debra the flowers and turned to Warren holding her arms up. “Up please.”
    He scooped her up and kissed her absently on the cheek.
    Clearly they spent a lot of time together and were very comfortable around each other. Somehow that just pissed her the hell off. All the while she was suffering and trying to make him suffer, he was leading a happy and normal life. To keep from hitting him over the