“What Dana does for a living now,” Lainey covered. “Hi, babe,” she added before Paige leaned down and kissed her.
“Is this for me?” Paige asked, pointing to her coffee.
“All yours,” Dana said and took a sip of her own drink.
“Hey, look who’s here,” Finley said and walked over to them with Molly. “We were just heading out, and I saw you.”
“You’re working late,” India noted, walking through the bookshop door with Maisie.
“We had a software upgrade to push,” Finley explained. “And Molly was nice enough to stay late with me.”
“I drove us here this morning, so I didn’t have much of a choice,” Molly said.
“She loves me.” Finley shrugged and took Molly’s hand.
“Who wants to grab a drink?” Paige asked. “This place closes soon, right?”
“In twenty minutes,” Juliet confirmed, walking over to them. “And Gwen is about to pick me up. Candace’s? We can all head over there.”
“I’m in,” Lainey said. “We can grab dinner there, too.”
“Dinner?” Maisie asked India.
Dana listened as the rest of the women confirmed their attendance, but she shook her head.
“I’m exhausted. I think I’m going to head home and get to bed early. You all have fun, though.”
“You sure?” Lainey asked her. “We can keep talking.”
“No, it’s okay. I’m good,” she replied.
The group broke up, with Maisie and India heading toward India’s car, Juliet walking out front where Gwen picked her up in the mobile dog-grooming van that she owned, and Finley and Molly grabbing coffee first before they left. Paige and Lainey finished their coffees first and then headed out as well. Dana remained sitting there by herself as the café closed around her, trying to figure out what to do about Samara. She knew she wouldn’t sleep tonight if she didn’t at least try to make amends or explain, so she pulled out her phone.
Dana Sterling: I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have done what I did last night. Not in public. We should’ve talked first, and you could’ve told me that you didn’t want that. I thought I was giving you that chance when I paused a few times before I did it, but I didn’t ask, and that was wrong. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.
After sending that text, she stood, placed her coffee mug on the counter for an employee to clean, and walked outside to where she’d parked. When she got into her car, her phone pinged, and she pulled it out quickly, hoping it was Samara,but was disappointed when it had turned out to be only one of the PAs alerting her to a schedule change for the following day. Dana checked her email for the new call sheet, reviewed it, and confirmed with the PA that she was good to go. Then, she started the car and pulled out into traffic.
Deciding she wasn’t ready to go home just yet and needing food anyway, she headed over to her favorite Po-Boy shop in the Quarter, parked wherever she could find a spot, and walked the rest of the way. She ordered her usual but took it to-go because the place was packed and there were no seats in the small shop. On her way back to her car, she got another notification and pulled out her phone, this time expecting another schedule change, but she stopped in her tracks when she saw Samara’s name on the screen.
Samara Barber: It’s not your fault. And youdidgive me time to pull away. I didn’t. I should have, but I didn’t. So, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I ran out on you and that I’ve been off all day.
Dana didn’t know what to say to that, so she decided to at least get to her car first so that she could sit and think about how best to respond. By the time she got there, though, there was another message.
Samara Barber: Can we talk?
Dana placed her bag on the roof of her car and messaged back.
Dana Sterling: Anytime. I mean that literally.
The three typing dots appeared immediately, so Dana just stood at her car and waited for the reply.
Samara Barber: What are you doing now?
Dana smiled and typed.
Dana Sterling: I just grabbed food. You? On a break?
The three dots appeared again.
