“Does that mean when you see a hot guy your heart might skip a beat?” Paige asked.
Analise chuckled. “Yes, that may have happened a time or two.”
“That’s one kind of spark,” Cari said. “But like today, two people had a conversation while standing in line and may have felt a spark.”
“Was it a romantic spark or a friendship spark?” Tennie said. “Don’t you think there’s a difference?”
“Ah, a good point, Tennie,” Cari said. “How about it begins as a friendship spark and becomes a romantic spark. Could that happen?”
Eden could feel heat rising in her cheeks. She reached for her beer and thought about her and Randi. Their friendship spark was stronger than ever, yet she knew there was a romantic spark slowly smoldering inside her heart for Randi.
They’d agreed long ago that they were better as friends and Eden had pushed any feelings she might have had away. However, they were still there and seemed to flare up at the most inappropriate times. Eden knew she and Randi would never do anything about it because they’d agreed. But still… She stole a glance over at Randi and could see the pink in her cheeks as well. Was Randi thinking the same thing?Oh God!
“I’ve felt a spark like that,” Tennie said. “I think it can happen in friend groups. Let’s say someone has a girlfriend, but they break up. You spend time with her and find out you have things in common. The girlfriend is gone and the more time you spend together a spark ignites.”
“Or,” Cari said, her brows shooting up her forehead, “you feel the spark the first time you meet, but know they have a girlfriend. What do you do?”
“You become friends,” Tennie said, staring at Cari. “Don’t be that person.”
“What?” Cari raised her hands. “I’m not going to come between them. I mean, what do you do with the spark? Does it go away? Does it die? Do you let it fester or simply smolder inside you?”
“Damn!” Analise exclaimed. “That’s a lot!”
“It is, but what do you do?” Cari replied.
Eden gazed over at Randi. The sparks Cari and Tennie were talking about were eerily similar to her and Randi. They had definitely felt the friendship spark immediately, but because Eden had a girlfriend that’s all it was until they’d broken up. Randi had been on one date with a woman when this happened and she and Eden had briefly felt the romantic spark Cari was referring to. By then they had become close friends and agreed to keep it that way.
Randi ended up in a relationship with that woman for over two years. Eden thought the universe must be telling them they made the right choice. Now, years later, after they’d each had several girlfriends, Eden couldn’t help but wonder. The only spark she’d been feeling lately was for Randi. This conversation wasn’t helping.
Eden hoped no one could see her discomfort as she fidgeted in her chair. “The only spark I’m feeling is hunger. Does anyone else want to order food?”
“Yes!” Randi quickly agreed. “I’ll get our waitress’s attention to bring menus.”
“I look forward to reading this new book, Cari,” Tennie said. “I’m sure we’ll all learn something about sparks.”
Right now Eden wondered how to pushRandi’s sparkback down in her heart.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Randi had noticed how uncomfortable Eden had become as the conversation turned to sparks. Maybe she was afraid Tennie would say something about sparks between her and Eden. Randi knew Eden only felt friendship towards Tennie right now so that could be awkward.
She glanced at Eden several times when she wasn’t looking and could see her cheeks turning red. Randi had a suspicion Cari was talking about sparks just to make her squirm with Eden sitting right next to her. Cari had shown she had a devilish streak today, but surely she wasn’t trying to cause problems for Randi with Eden.
Or was Eden thinking back to when she and Randi met? She still remembered the first time she laid eyes on Eden Andrews. Randi knew immediately that they would become friends. When she wasn’t sure she’d stay in Texas and had thought moving there might have been a mistake, something inside of her shifted the moment she met Eden. She knew everything was going to be all right.
Thank goodness Eden had changed the conversation to food. They’d ordered and were now enjoying more beer and a variety of appetizers.
“Mmm, you’ve got to try this,” Eden said, serving a cream cheese-filled date drizzled with honey onto Randi’s plate.
“Oh, wow,” Randi mumbled, swallowing a bite. “This is not your typical bar food.”
Eden shook her head. “I heard they were getting a new chef.”
“How did you hear that?” Randi asked. Eden was not tuned into the bar scene. It was Randi who usually found out about new bars and menus from her connections on social media.
“Kelly,” Eden said.
“Oh, right. Your music venue connection,” Randi said quietly.
