CHAPTER 20

“Channing? Is that you?”

Her stomach dropped. “Who else would it be, Mom?”

“You don’t need to be snippy.”

“Sorry.” She inhaled slowly. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. And you?”

“Just great.” Come on. Get to it. The only good thing about her mother’s phone calls was that she didn’t drag them out with inane chitchat.

“That’s good. Well, the reason I called is because I’ve received some interesting news.” Pause. “Your friend Melinda Baxter? She and her delightful fiancé Robert ran off to Aruba and were married last weekend.

Isn’t that marvelous?”

“Splendid,” she said sweetly.

“I tell you, Melinda’s mother was shocked as they’d already booked the cathedral months ago. Anyway, since Melinda and Robert skipped the formal wedding ceremony, they’ve rented the Gregory Art Museum and are hosting an enormous reception next weekend. Naturally, I assured Melinda you’d be in attendance.”

Channing seethed. She was twenty-five years old. Her mother had no right to speak for her. But it was nothing new in h