“Define weird.”
She huffed. “They didn’t call me that night like usual and when I asked about it said that I stressed them out or whatever. Then I heard Melinda Harbinger say that she was texting Bobby the night before.”
“And what did they say about that?”
“That they were just being stupid and it was me they liked. But that they freaked and didn’t know what to do when things started getting serious.”
I paused. “Do you believe them?”
She sat back against the couch in frustration. “I think so, but it all just makes me mad, so I canceled tonight.”
“And how does that feel?”
She sat back up. “It sucks. I’m going to spend it practicing my tuba and marching band steps alone in my room. My mom will love it.”
“Oh, me, too,” Emory called from the kitchen. “That’s my favorite.”
“You’re eavesdropping?” Grace called back.
“Always!” Sarah answered.
Grace rolled her eyes with a smile. She loved them in spite of it, clearly.
I regrouped us. “Just my two cents. Maybe Bobby handled the situation poorly but is still worth your time.” I shrugged. “But what do I know?”
“Yeah.”
“I tend to believe in second chances when the person meant well.”
“Maybe.” She didn’t seem fully convinced.
“Come eat these burgers,” Emory called.
As we gathered around the less formal dining table in the kitchen for fantastic comfort food, Sarah smiled at me pointedly. “Sometimes those that handle things poorly are still worth your time, huh?”
I frowned at her until the larger meaning settled. I blew her off. “Yeah, yeah. Okay.”
“I’m serious,” she said quietly in a private moment, while Emory and Grace chatted about the fry seasoning. “Maybe listen to some of your own advice, and see where it gets you.”
“My situation is a little different.”
“Yeah, the two of you are grown-ass adults and should have a much easier time sorting your whole thing out. You both screwed up. Forgive each other and be in love already.”
“Since when do you say grown-ass?”
“I know.” She sighed. “I have a teenager now. Can you believe it?”
I grappled. “No, because life will not stop surprising me. I keep begging it to.”
She handed me the bowl of glorious fresh Parmesan for my fries. “Figure out how to be the llama or whatever.”
“The moose. Why would I be a llama? They don’t even have antlers, Sarah.”
“Fine. Moose it up. And stop dragging your feet.” She was fussing at me. At me. As if I’d done something wrong.
“No way. As far as Carrie is concerned, there will be no moosing.”
“All because she made a bad call, like Bobby?”
Grace nodded wholeheartedly, now listening in. “I definitely think I’ll be forgiving Bobby now that I’m thinking more clearly about it.”
“How convenient.” I stared at her and then back to Sarah. “Carrie’s off-moose-limits to me. I don’t even look at the billboard when I pass it anymore. I’m that good.”
Sarah regarded me and her gaze flicked to Emory. “I remember saying something similar once upon a time.” She gestured to my plate. “And now she makes me the best hamburger I’ve ever had.”
Emory smiled triumphantly, and I sighed, wondering why things had to be so complicated, and how in the hell could I snag this burger recipe?
* * *
“Dammit all.”
I was standing beneath a stream of amazingly warm water that following Monday morning when my phone began buzzing insistently on my bathroom counter. Micky stared at it and back at me with alarm in his eyes that said I was about to miss out on something crucial, and what should he do?
“It’s probably not important,” I called to him, but my curiosity got the better of me, and I hopped out of the shower, closed my eyes to the immediate shiver, and saw I had a voice mail waiting. From Carrie. I blew out a breath and listened, because I had no will power to wait another second.
“Hi, Skyler. I’m calling in an official capacity. The station would love for you to appear on The Secret Sauce as part of our cross-promotion. I don’t know if you heard, but Sylvan is a producing partner on the show. Can we talk about the possibility and, if you’re interested, schedule an afternoon to shoot? And I just caught the time. You’re in the shower. Which is lovely.”
I had instant flashes of us in the shower, of her worshipping my body, and the sight of suds sliding off her. Suddenly that chill in the air was gone, and I was decidedly hot. Choosing to be an adult, I called her back. “Hey, it’s Skyler.”
“Sorry for interrupting the shower.” Her voice tickled my ear in the best way.
“Not a problem.”
“If you want to get dressed first, you can.” She knew me well enough to know that I was standing there naked.
I rolled my lips in. “When did you have in mind for the shoot? And what do you pay?” Nice one. Keep it about the work.
She laughed. “We were looking at episode five. We’d shoot later this week, maybe do a wine pairing segment in my back garden. Trust me, we’ll meet your minimum and more.”
“Good. Sounds great as long as we can work around my schedule at the station.”
“Luckily, I know it well. Talk to you soon, okay?” It was so natural, having this conversation, so easy. It shouldn’t be.
A pause. “I just want to be clear that I’m accepting because of professional obligations and as a courtesy to you, of course.”
“Got it. You want zero to do with me, personally.”
“I didn’t say that.” But my guard was certainly up. “I’m sure we’ll be fine, existing within the overlap in our jobs. We’re both adults.”
She didn’t hesitate. “We more than exist to each other, whether you want that or not. But I get that you’re upset with me. Just know that I’m back here because this is where I want to be.”
I didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t wrong about the first part. “Still.”
She sighed, and I heard defeat creep into her voice. “Still.” Maybe the controlled confidence she projected didn’t run so deep. For some reason, that resonated. The vulnerability. And why wouldn’t it be there? I’d always known her to be a soft-hearted person underneath the badass face of the news.