Trapped In Paradise

a's

t the trip and Jason Stryker. I had yet to meet the guy who hired us, and we had

r dinner," earlier in the day while we were both enjoying coffee

ing, flirtatious, and eye-catching, none of which I really desired. I had taken a vacati

"Hold on a second. Are you sure you're n

ocent to me. "Of

a stern loo

n as she said, "What?" Even I am aware that

damn right

tail. "I mean, it may not necessarily be a negative thing if he thinks you a

sked. I had no desire to date anybody and had no idea what thi

vorced." Michael stated, "From w

... he had an affair," aware that I w

ly to blame. She sounds like a terribl

"Really? Tha

han that since Michael informed me Jason ultimately received exclusive custody of their baby. Stupid chi

of coffee, "Or the judg

dges have unusual effects from fame and wealth. In any case, y

urning his mother terribly. He still loved her despite the fact that she was a party

must have a nanny or

he presumably doesn't vi

his father is a well-known baseball star

wouldn't allow him to return unless he got therapy. Unfortunately, neither my father nor dad liked ultimatums though he had a drinking problem. Eventually, he was able to move out on his own, and I was able to see him every other weekend. Fortunately, he typically remained sober at such times, but I had a sneaking suspicion it hadn't be

nd I'm certain that no one knows it better than you. Just lett

t I have no desire to cast any

cial life has resembled that of a cat lady's, except without the cats. Your hobbit lifestyle may

but a guy or my pursuit of the ideal one need not be the

very weekend at home by yourself?"

en missed John. I sometimes had to force myself to refrain from

till love you, and we can

en to ignore him, thoug

are taken up by work anyhow, I said. I don't recall many of

Adam, I think. You seem to have los

the case. Every morning when I woke up and discovere

some enjoyment in

ble camera that was resting on the coun

s of yourself na

Obvious

n. She started looking at my most recent images

I must confess that yo

d, "Tha

r first taught me to cook when I was old enough to see over the kitchen counter, and it was still my greatest passion today. On the other ha

Anna, you could probably sell a lot of these photos

h would I want

elongs to who? He's cute enough, and you managed to snag him just as he was about to go

ocean, a guy had abandoned his Golden Retriever dog. He had let me fire a few

"I doubt I'm allowed to sell m

g tells me that this one would

nyway, this is simply a p

eased that you aren't spending a lot of time on this or turning

e time, she lacked patience, particularly when it came to cooking. It wasn't uncommon for her to go into hyste

would be good to start making enough cash so that we could employ

aii, and New York. They were visiting Maui for business purposes and her father was some kind of real estate developer. We had been talking about t

gig we've got coming up m

he last of my coffee, I said, "You didn'

my Choo shoes I saw at

ich o

ionally, the price of fo

. Is that what I heard her sa

e bo

aid that the money would be

many visitors? I a

From Friday through Sunday, breakfast, lunch, and sup

l really be paid for the next several months. "I can't believe it," I said. I even had enough money to hire someone

to really meet this man. She remarked, snatching her phone, "Maybe I'll swing by Sak's on the wa

en eager to meet Jason Stryker e