Reese nodded. “I’m sure that was a prudent decision for after retirement, back when she had a long-term partner she wanted to settle down with. That’s not Sydney’s life anymore.”
It wasn’t like she was trying to argue, but she thought maybe wishful thinking was the driving force behind Hallie’s words.
“Either way, Sydney’s here now,” Hallie said, “and all you’re doing is wasting your own time avoiding her.”
“I’m not avoiding her,” Reese said, her voice falling away as she clocked Sydney walking into the lobby area, tennis bag hanging on her tanned shoulder.
Why did she have to look so good, like, all the time? It wasn’t fair.
And then Sydney beamed a megawatt smile in their direction, one that had been captured many times before for literal magazine covers, and ambled over to the desk.
“Well, if it isn’t my girlfriend and my best friend, together in one place.”
Hallie’s chest puffed out with pride, but Reese could feel her cheeks warming.
“I was just asking Reese for the details from this weekend,” Hallie said, “since you’ve been less than forthcoming with information.”
Sydney shot her best friend a look that made Reese, though she tried to hold it in, snort with laughter.
“Prying into people’s personal lives feels like an HR violation, Hal.”
Undeterred, Hallie pressed on. “Is that possible when she’s the owner?” She shot a grin in Reese’s direction. “Also, at this point, I think I am HR. At least for another few months.”
Sydney lifted an eyebrow. “Then it’s a fairly egregious abuse of power.”
“Either way,” Hallie said, waving them off, “Reese gave me the skinny.”
It was interesting how color fanned across Sydney’s face, blooming wild over her cheekbones.
Reese watched as Sydney tightened her fingers around the strap of her bag. “Be that as it may, I was hoping to talk to Reese for a second before I headed to the tennis center.”
“Guess that’s my cue,” Hallie said, standing still for a fewprolonged seconds. “I’m sure there’s some sort of crisis I can find to manage effectively right now.”
Sydney gave Hallie a stare that only worked between lifelong friends, her voice droll when she said, “I have no doubt.”
Reese watched Hallie wander away, her pulse picking up as Sydney focused her attention across the desk, to where Reese sat as still as she could manage.
“Sorry for all the cloak-and-dagger,” Sydney said with a sweet smile. “I just wanted to ask about how your mom was, and I didn’t know if you’d shared that with Hallie.”
Warmth spread through Reese for an abundance of reasons. “Her doctor’s office called yesterday afternoon. Everything looks good.”
Sydney’s shoulders visibly relaxed, and she reached her hand across the table to hold Reese’s. “I’m so happy to hear that.”
The sincerity in Sydney’s voice was like a warm blanket that Reese wrapped around herself.
Yesterday, when her mom had called with the news, the relieved whoosh of air she’d let out had been unlike anything else she’d ever experienced.
Their fingers were still intertwined when Sydney said, “I should also apologize in advance for anything that Hallie may have said to you. I think that throwing herself into my drama has been a bit of an escape for her the last few weeks.”
Reese sat with that idea, even as she enjoyed how Sydney’s fingers gently tapped against her hand. Hallie, like the two of them, was going through a significant amount of change, and she was glad that Sydney reminded her of it.
“To be fair, you’ve given her a lot of material to work with.”
Sydney feigned shock as she held her free hand up to her heart. “I’d like to think it’s been a team effort. Speaking of which, have you heard from your dad?”
Reese shook her head. Honestly, she hadn’t thought of him much, except with respect to what a joke of a husband he was. “Ihave not, and he’s not exactly at the top of my priority list these days.”
“Well, we’ll get to see him in…” She could see Sydney trying to remember when their next family event was happening.
