Randi decided one more beer couldn’t hurt and walked to the kitchen. She grabbed a bottle from the refrigerator and settled on her couch. Her head flopped back against the couch and she closed her eyes.
Her phone began to ring and her heart leapt in her chest as she expected it to be Eden, but when she picked it up she saw Cari’s face on the screen.
“Oh, great,” Randi moaned. “What could she want now?” She connected the call. “Hi, Cari. Got any more wise words about sparks?”
“I’m sorry,” Cari said. “I know I made you uncomfortable, but I was trying to help you.”
“Help me? How?”
Cari sighed. “When I met you and Eden then saw your pitch telling that room full of single women how wonderful Eden Andrews is, I knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That you and Eden were in love.”
“What!”
“The way you looked at each other,” Cari said. “It was obvious to me. Maybe it’s because I didn’t know you, but now I do. You and Eden are in love, but too afraid to do anything about it. When I brought up the conversation about sparks I thought it might help Eden to admit her feelings for you.”
“Did you have to do that in front of everyone else and make it awkward for Tennie too?”
Cari sighed. “Having it all out in the open is a good thing. Tennie didn’t mind.”
“Having what out in the open?”
“Sparks,” Cari said. “We defined them. They can come at the first look or they can build or smolder. Believe me, if Eden wasn’t thinking about them before she is now.”
“Yeah, did you consider that she may be thinking about them as far as Tennie is concerned?”
Cari shook her head. “No, she and Tennie are in the friend zone. That’s it.”
“Whatever,” Randi murmured.
“Look, I’m sorry, Randi,” Cari said. “I like you and Eden and I want you to be happy. I was just trying to help. There have been times when I know she was jealous. I notice things, remember?”
Randi shook her head. “Wait a minute. Were you doing things on purpose to make Eden jealous?”
“I’m telling you, she has feelings for you. Don’t let fear keep you from what could be a lifetime of happiness.”
“This isn’t one of your romance novels, Cari,” Randi said. “It’s real life!”
“Honey, don’t think my novels couldn’t happen in real life,” Cari said. “Let me ask you, Randi. Why do you think you’re not good enough for Eden?”
Randi sighed. “We want different things?”
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“Look at her,” Randi said. “She’s been with HLR for nearly a decade. She owns her own home. I jump from job to job and live in an apartment.”
“So?”
“That doesn’t make me the best choice for partner material.”
“Who says? You pay your bills, take care of your responsibilities, and are looking for a challenge. No one says you have to stay in the same job forever, Randi.”
“I know.” She sighed. “We’re thirty-five years old. Eden is deliberate, earnest, responsible, and I’m, I’m…”
“Spontaneous, fun-loving, and charming,” Cari said. “Don’t you see?”
