Sarah smiled warmly. “Hi.”
The waitress took our order and then left.
“Everything okay, Aims?” Georgie asked, smoothing her floor-length dress down.
“Yes,” I lied, faking a bright tone. “You’re early.”
“I know, I was so excited to see Sarah again. She hasn’t been home in . . . how long has it been?”
“Two years,” Sarah answered, the smile collapsing.
Georgie’s face paled, she reached out and touched Sarah’s arm in a comforting gesture. “Yes, oh, I’m sorry.”
“It’s okay,” Sarah reached across and squeezed Georgie’s hand. She turned to me to explain. “My brother died in a car accident, and I left here not long after. It was too hard, too many painful memories around here for me to stay.”
I was beginning to understand how that felt.
“I’m so sorry, Sarah.”
“Thank you,” she gave a wan smile and recovered. “I have missed you.” She directed the comment to Georgie, changing her tone to a more upbeat pitch.
“You too,” Georgie agreed, “it just hasn’t been the same without you. So, tell me, where have you been? What have you been up to—any hot romances?” Georgie asked.
Lisa bought our order over and Sarah waited for her to leave before she responded.
“I was in LA for the past year. Before that I spent some time in Africa, volunteering in a women’s hospital.”
Great, Jolene not only looked like an angel, but she was one. I cleared my throat. “That’s a really kind thing to do.”
She took a sip of tea and scanned the road. “It was hard, the things I saw . . .” Her voice trailed off. She drew in a sharp breath. “But it’s a conversation for another time. I don’t want to talk about anything sad today, not when I haven’t seen you for so long.”
She nudged Georgie with her shoulder.
“Right. Yes.” Georgie smiled brightly. “Absolutely, positive vibes today only.”
“What have I missed in Church Heights?” Sarah asked.
“It’s Church Heights, so nothing.”
The both laughed.
“How long are you staying for, Sarah?” I asked, stirring sugar through my cup of tea.
Sarah ran a hand through her hair, the waves shimmering like autumn fire. “I’m not sure, I might stay for a few months. The hospital is short of nurses so I might help out for a while, and dad’s not getting any younger.”
Disappointment tightened the bottom of my stomach.
“What about you, Amy. You’re new to town right? Karson said you work at the bar?”
The tightening, twisted. “Yeah, I’ve been here a few months now.”
“She lives with Ethan.” Georgie’s voice soured.
Sarah’s blue eyes widened slightly. “Ethan? He’s still hot I noticed.”
She picked a bit of her muffin and ate it.
Georgie screwed up her nose. “He’s not hot. He’s an asshole.”
