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Dammit Crystal winced This hat happened when you had someone like Ella try to playsister as if trying to figure out what she was hiding Then, just as she’d feared, Suzy’s gaze settled on her "You’re the only unattached one at this table So unless someone has a confession to make about the state of their relationship, I’d say your sister is recruiting Mark for you"

"God, yes!" Mia exclaione on ‘DeStudo’"

Ava"DeStudo?"

With a dreamy expression, Emma nodded "That’s actually pretty accurate I was in line behind him at the coffee shop last week, and ood that I founddizzy And that voice All hI love Brant, but I secretly wouldn’t mind Mark for my work husband I wouldn’t even need to touch hi at hi," Claire admitted shyly "Jason has had hi He’s even good with our daughter, which I wouldn’t have expected since he doesn’t have children I guess I wasn’t too good at hiding my admiration on his last visit because after he left, Jason waved a hand in front of o ahead and blink"

Suzy chuckled at Claire’s story before saying, "Gray knows that I can’t help but appreciate a hot guy Luckily, he’s secure enough to where he laughs it off I also know he’s a man and will admire a beautiful woman--but that’s all it is Now, if I were in the ht up there at the top of the list I mean, it’s not as if I could pick Nick, since he’s ns et complicated Declan looks like he knows his way around the bedroom, but I wouldn’t be able to choose between him and Brant, so they’re out That leaves o pants well But they are all in new relationships--which could be s me to Mark So yeah, if I were in the market, that bad boy would bea bit of a freak in the bedroo at Crystal, Suzy asked, "Honey, are you sure you’re ready to hini? Maybe you should start withsay, a Cadillac or even a Mercedes? While I adht to a sports car, I have to wonder if you kno much horsepower that baby has"

Beth’s eyes widened as she looked at her sister "Just to be clear, we’re still talking about Mark, right?"

"Crap, I don’t know," Mia " Then, raising her hand like a schoolgirl, Mia giggled "I think I’ve mentioned that Suzy and Gray were at the top of e her," Beth moaned

"Hey, I’d do you, Suzy," Emma piped in "You even used to have "

"Everyone wants Gwen’s ass," Claire inserted before covering her face "I think that ca"

Suzy bument here It’s a safe zone And thank you, E , but you never know"

Ava cleared her throat as the laughter died down at the table "Crystal, you do know that Mark doesn’t really do relationships, right? I’e, Mark has never been involved with a wo Crystal a look of concern, she added, "If you’re looking for soreat"

"Oh, I’ to marry him," Crystal said breezily She only hoped that the other women wouldn’t notice how forced her smile was Of course she tried not to harbor any romantic delusions where Mark was concerned--but didn’t every woman have the Cinderella fantasy frorew up feeling subservient to first her mother and then to her husband She’d barely been capable ofa decision on her own, and even when she did decide so for herself, she had to wonder if someone in her life hadn’t influenced it "Soa question for all of you," she began before she could chicken out "Ifsodifferent from Mark’s usual kind of woe?" she stuttered out, no doubt sounding like an idiot That hadn’t coht at all

Before anyone could answer, Ava spoke up again "When I decided to go after Mac, I had to reinvent myself It’s not that he didn’t love me as I was, because he did--for years But I’d lost him because I wasn’t ready to be in a relationship with hihty from who I’d always been Instead of repressed and cautious, I became more of a daredevil I did stuff that I kneould push every button that he had I figured negative attention was good so long as he was thinking aboutto say"

"Just to be clear here," Suzy asked, sounding fascinated, "are you advising her to go buy soame?"