“Geez, he was in high school when we started Kindergarten,” I say. “No wonder I feel like I barely know them.”
Sloan nods, sipping on her straw again. “So, Jack was interested in working with Everett and Graham?”
“Yes, very,” I say.
“I think that’s so great,” Sloan says. Her smile is bright. “It’s been so terrible seeing him so sad. I’m glad he’s got something new to do.”
“Well, I mean, I’m guessing he’s still sad,” Harlow says. “His wife died.”
Sloan frowns. “Oh God, I know that. I’m just saying, it’s good he’s moving…” She shakes her head. “Noton. That sounds bad. You can’t move on, right? Not fully. Not from love. But he’s moving…”
“Forward?” I offer.
“Forward!” Sloan points at me. “Yes! I like that.”
Harlow nods. “Okay, forward. That works. Forward with a job. Forward with a house for just him and the girls. Forward with Meg.”
“Meg?” Sloan asks, setting her glass down on the table. “Meg who? What do you mean?”
“Meg Snyder. They went to dinner last weekend.”
Sloan sits up taller. “They did? Why?”
Margot laughs. “Well, I assume because that’s something people commonly do on dates.”
“It was adate? You’resure?” Sloan asks.
“Yes. What else would it have been? I don’t think she was doing his taxes at the Blue Stone,” Harlow says.
The Blue Stone is the fancy, white-tablecloth restaurant in Sapphire Falls. Definitely a date spot. Not a casual meeting spot.
Meg is an accountant, but no, I don’t think she was doing Jack’s taxes.
Margot watches Sloan with both eyebrows up. She glances at me. I shrug.
“Why does this surprise you?” I ask Sloan.
“Isn’t heheartbroken?” she asks. “Widowed? Miserable? Still in love with hisdead wife?”
“Shhh!” Harlow says, laughing. She glances around. “Good lord, Sloan.”
Sloan slumps on her stool. “Sorry. That was a jerk thing to say.”
I give Margot, then Harlow, a wide-eyedwhat-the-hell-is-going-on?look. They both shrug.
“Sloan?” I ask carefully. “Are you okay?”
She lifts her glass. “I’m a little drunk.”
“Ah.” I nod. “Is that why you’re acting jealous of Jack going out with Meg?”
She shakes her head. Then stops. Then nods. Then groans.
Margot leans closer so she can lower her voice. “You like Jack?”
Sloan covers her face. “It’s just…I didn’t know he was dating. I didn’t think he’d be ready for that for…a while. A long time.”
“But it bothers you that he is?” Harlow asks.
