And she’d said she’d found her special someone in him. He believed her too. She’d said it, and she wouldn’t lie; she wasn’t the type. She wa... the genuine article.As the day dragged on, and he finished the project he had been developing he started to fidget about the coming evening. Maureen wanted him to take her back to the tavern. That wasn’t going to be easy. What if Sandy was there? What if Sandy had on that necklace he’d bought her? What if that country club crowd was there?He kept going. I remember being fascinated by the thought of grabbing her and making her mine. Silly of course, there's no way to do that in the middle of a busy Starbucks, but the thought was delicious. When we stepped up to the register, she looked at us and her eyes widened. She kept looking back and forth between Ashley and myself as she took our order. She seemed a bit mystified. She must think that Ashley and I are a couple and that perhaps I was getting the better part of that deal.Back at the studio,. “Joel is the man you want to be with, to grow old with, and to have kids with. I know it. Your mom knows it. He knows it. And most importantly, YOU know it. So you sowed your wild oats, or whatever? Who cares? So you and Joel had a night or two of uninhibited sex which you think was a mistake? Big deal! So you slept with a score of guys or however many? Irrelevant! None of that means a damned thing compared to the fact you love Joel, Joel loves you, and the two of you belong together. And I’ll. ”Har-Hi pointed down the corridor at an approaching floater.“I think that is the reason.”The simple floater platform held eight individuals. Six armed guards, just like the ones in front of us and two official-looking men.The Bassett, just introduced to me as Elkir, hissed something incomprehensible as he turned to see what Har-Hi was pointing at. To me he said.“That is Kirku, my older brother. He is the father of Lia Bassett, and there is much money missing. Just so you know.”I said.“O, what a.