She deflatesbefore my eyes as I speak, her shoulders slumping and her eyebrowsdrawing in.
“But…while I’m not sure we can go backor repair what’s broken, maybe we can start fresh. Meet each otherwhere we are and go from there.”
Her eyes widen.“Really?”
“Yeah.Do you think we can do that?”
“Definitely. I’ve always loved you, Sylvie. I’ve never stopped.I never could, even when I was being a shitty friend and lettingeverything slide. I can tell just from these last few minutes thatyouhavechanged,and I’d like to get to know who you are now.”
I bob my headslowly, unsure of what to say. Then an idea pops into my head.“Hey, do you have plans for New Year’s Eve? Some friends invited meto a house party.”
“Andthey wouldn’t mind a stranger showing up?” she asks. “Or, well…twostrangers?”
“Two?”
“I’mseeing someone. Actually, it’s more than that, it’s pretty serious.We met this past summer and things got intense quickly. We werestill trying to decide what to do for New Year’s, but hadn’tfigured it out yet. She knows all about you, so she’ll be thrilledwe ran into each other today. When I tell her we’ve been invitedout, I’m sure she’ll go for it.”
She. Mindy is in a relationship with awoman. It takes me a minute to process this; we’ve been friends fornearly two decades and I had no idea she was interested in women. Icollect myself as quickly as possible when I see the glint ofchallenge in her eye. Does she expect me to react negatively?Rescind my invitation to the New Year’s party and my offer to startfresh? I don’t care who she loves, I’m just surprised she nevertold me.
“Great,” I say. “I know you’d both be welcome.”
“It’snew,” she says, and I assume she means the relationship until sheadds, “Me figuring this stuff out. I don’t want you to think I washiding this huge part of myself from you all these years. I didn’teven know until I met Padma.”
I nod slowly.“Looks like we really do have a lot to catch up on. I hope I get achance to meet her.”
“Youwill,” she says firmly. “Are you…seeing anyone?”
“Nope.”I say it casually, even though it brings up as many feelings asseeing her has. I’ve gone on a few dates this year, but my head andheart weren’t in it. Even though I knew it wasn’t fair, I comparedevery guy to Cole. This whole year, I’ve felt like I’ve beenkeeping an eye out for him. Waiting for him to appear at theVillage or the diner. Waiting to get a message from him on socialmedia or have him turn up when and where I least expect him. Ithasn’t happened, and I need to accept it’s not going to. It’s timeto move on.
Mindy cocks herhead, studying me again. She looks like she wants to say something,but she jumps and pulls her buzzing phone from her pocket. “Sorry,I need to get going.”
“Oh,yeah, me too.”
Mindy rushesforward and throws her arms around me. I stagger back from theimpact, and we both laugh. My throat tightens and my eyes stingwith tears as her hold tightens. We stand there for several minutesin the middle of the sidewalk, clinging to each other.
She sniffles in myear a second before she releases me. “Okay. I promise to be intouch soon and let you know about New Year’s. Maybe we can gettogether sometime next week to catch up a bit, and you can tell meabout your friends and the party?”
Withoutwaiting for a response, she blows me a kiss and bounds away. Iremain where I am, watching her go. My head is spinning from ourrandom encounter and everything we both said. After the last coupleof years, I’m almost afraid to feel hope when it comes to Mindy,and yet I’m cautiously optimistic. I’ll either hear from her or Iwon’t, but I know now I’ll be okay either way. And if I’m beingcompletely honest, I’d like to have her back in my life. I have afeeling it would look a lot different than it did before, but I’vemissed her. I’ve missedus.
Smiling to myself,I check my watch and see I’d better hurry or I’m going to be latefor my own birthday celebration. I turn and take a step, collidingwith someone.
I wobble and theperson grips my upper arms to steady me. “I’m so sorry,” I blurt.“I wasn’t watching where I was going.” When my head lifts and mygaze locks on a familiar pair of smiling blue-gray eyes, all theair rushes from my lungs.
“Thereyou are,” he says, as if he’s been expecting me, waiting forme.
“Cole.”I say his name on a breathless laugh. As if sensing what I’m aboutto do, he releases his grip on me and throws his arms out to catchme as I dive at him.
CHAPTER SIX
“Whatare you doing here?” I ask. I hope he can’t feel me tremblingthrough the layers of our clothes and coats.
“It’skind of a long story.” He releases me slowly, keeping hold of myshoulders. His eyes scan my face, drinking me in. He looks asstunned as I feel.
“Howlong are you staying?” I ask.
There’s thatcrooked smile of his. It still makes my heart do funny things.“That’s part of the long story.”
Another breathlesslaugh escapes me. “Okay, well…” My phone pings from my purse. It’slikely one of my friends wondering where I am. “Are you free rightnow? I’m on my way to meet some friends at the diner we ate at thatfirst night we met, remember?”
