I grinned through my tears. “I love a good challenge, and I won’t let you down.”
* * *
Sarah had been right. Blessed Betty. When I pulled up to the two-story home along Mission Beach, it stole my breath and made me stare. Not just the house—white, modern, and with a lot of large windows—but the surrounding landscape. Palm trees loomed in front, and the gentle sound of the ocean floated in from the back. My heart squeezed. I loved the ocean and couldn’t imagine getting to live in such close proximity. Kristin and Lucy’s driveway was short and small, which left cars lining the road. I searched for a spot, took a deep breath, and walked in my heels and my short black dress up the walk, taking in the last sliver of sunlight as it waned pink and orange on the horizon.
The door swung open as I made my way up the curve of the sidewalk, and Lucy beamed at me, stunning in a white dress off one shoulder. She matched the house beautifully. Her dark hair had been pulled into a knot at her neck, and her blue eyes sparkled. “I haven’t seen you in I don’t know how long, and now look at you! And a reporter in a market like this one?”
She held open her arms, and I stepped into them and kissed her cheek. “I don’t live in a house as stunning as this one, but I’m doing okay. Hi. It’s great to see you.”
“Skyler. Kristin gushes about you. Daily. It makes me so proud to say I knew you when you were just a kid.”
Kristin gushed about me? That was news, and it bolstered my confidence instantly. My boss was happy with my performance. I could rest a little easier. “Well, I could easily gush right back and do, nightly, to my dog, who’s now the biggest Kristin fan.” I switched to sincerity. “Seriously, though, she’s great at her job. The calm in the storm.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” She stepped back. “Well, come in and mingle, grab a drink. We have everything. Make yourself at home, and you’ll find everyone gathering in the living area.”
“Perfect. I’ll see you in there. Oh, and Lucy, thank you for having me.” I handed over a bottle of wine because my mother had taught me manners.
“Are you kidding? I’m thrilled to have grown-up little Skyler at my dinner party.”
I left her at the door to greet the other arriving guests and made my way inside. Quiet music played from somewhere unseen as I made my way through the foyer, the click click click of my heels following me. The table, in what seemed to be the formal dining room, was set beautifully for twelve, folded white cloth napkins and all. I didn’t see Emory or Sarah in the small handful of people mingling in the large living room, but my gaze landed on someone I did recognize, Carrie. She turned in that moment and met my gaze, breaking into a soft smile. She wore black pants and killer stilettos along with a sleeveless flowing blue top. How she managed to look both dressy and beachy at the same time, I had no idea. But that was Caroline. Her hair was down, soft and kind of wavy in the gentle sense. Out of her anchor attire and fancy hair and makeup she looked even more stunning. Before this moment, I had been sure that would have been impossible, but this woman was born with natural beauty. She moved in my direction, and I straightened, preparing to speak or listen or a combination of both. Just relax. Smile.
“Well, you look fabulous.” That was not the opening line I was expecting and swallowed, my plan shot. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“Thank you.” I smiled, keeping it cool. “Lucy is a family friend, and of course, I know Kristin from work, so…”
“Small world.”
“Isn’t it?” Lucy said, handing me a glass of white wine as she whisked past on her way to play hostess. I held it up to her in gratitude. Carrie sipped from a glass of red, holding it by the stem, which was a normal thing for any human to do, but the way she did so sent a flutter through my midsection. She had feminine hands, slender fingers. She had a way of giving new meaning to mundane tasks.
“No Kacey tonight?” she asked.
“No. No Kacey. And you look beautiful, too.” It felt weird to say, and now my cheeks were warm, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Thanks,” she said quietly and glanced at her drink. If I didn’t know better, I would have said that I’d caught a hint of vulnerability there. As if my simple compliment had mattered. Huh. And maybe it had. “The buzz about your story has been really positive. I don’t know how much Tam has shared, but it’s garnered us quite a bit of attention. You scooped every other station.”
I grinned because I was aware. Since they’d run it earlier in the week, my inbox had been filling up. Suddenly, I was on the map, and the people of San Diego either wanted to share their strong opinions on my story or pitch me my next one. I felt bolder in the morning story meetings with some clout beneath me, and the other reporters now knew I could hold my own. Even Carlos had apologized for underestimating me. One story was not going to make or break me, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. “I have to admit that the response has been nice. You know how badly I wanted it to pan out.”
“And so do the break room cabinets.” She sipped from her glass, and I caught the faint lip print.
I winced. “I should probably write them a note of apology.”
“Might inflate their ego.”
“Oh.” A pause. “We can’t have conceited cabinets.”
“We’re in agreement on that.” She touched her glass to mine, and we grinned at each other, with me enjoying the new give-and-take dynamic. Ever since my unfortunate counter careening, the chilly tension between us had evaporated, not that I fully understood its origins to begin with.
Maybe one day I’d get the courage to ask.
But seeing Carrie outside the station was surreal and more than a little exciting. Like running into your hot teacher outside of school. Yet that wasn’t how I saw her. I looked up to Carrie, sure, but I wanted to be seen as her colleague, her equal, not the little puppy that ran along behind her.
“Carrie, have you seen the view from the back deck? It’s gorg. Come see.”
I blinked at the woman who slipped her hand into Caroline’s and stood just a little too close. I felt a muscle in my jaw tense at the recognizable energy between the two. I knew exactly what I was seeing, even though my brain was too stunned to fully process it.
“Skyler Ruiz, this is Audra Kline. She’s an architect. Skyler is the newest reporter at KTMW.”
“Oh yes,” Audra said. She was pretty. Dark blond hair and hazel eyes. Her tan was impressive. I tended to burn. Not that I had time to lounge in the sun anyway. “You did the story on the police cars that steak house paid for.”
“That was me. Carrie was instrumental in my success, I should add.”
“As for your story, I’m sure it’s only the beginning,” Carrie said. She turned to Audra. “Now show me this view you’re so excited about.”