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They arranged a time later in the week and settled things within moments, but when Beth hung up, she stayed in her chair. She needed to give Jamie time to do his shopping and get the heck out.
Then again, what did it matter? She had no reason to be embarrassed. Eric might not be happy that another person in his life knew about her, but Jamie didn’t really know. He didn’t know that she and Eric had seen each other last night. And the night before.
She’d just decided to brave another awkward meeting and was pushing up from her desk when her cell phone rang. Beth dug her phone from her pocket and gratefully sank back down.
“Beth!” Annabelle cried, her voice clearer than it had been in months. “Are you okay? Is everything all right?”
“I’m fine!” Beth cut in.
“Oh, thank God. I miss you so much. When I got your text, I swear my heart melted.”
Beth smiled. Annabelle approached friendship like she approached everything else—with passion and enthusiasm. “I miss you, too. Really.” Really. “Are you still having fun?”
“Fun doesn’t even describe it. I can’t believe how content I feel. How whole. I feel like I’ve been reborn.”
Beth nodded, happy for her friend, but the truth was that Annabelle had said that exact thing after a Bikram Yoga class the year before. “That’s amazing. I’m so happy for you. But have you given any more thought to when you’ll come home?”
“Oh, Beth, it all feels so far away.”
Beth nodded, frowning. “Okay, but I need to tell you something, Annabelle. I’m worried that I’ve caused some trouble for the store.” She explained exactly what had happened, leaving out her affair with Eric. “I don’t think I could have handled it differently,” she ended.
Annabelle gasped. “Of course not. You did the right thing!”
“I don’t know what he’s thinking, but he’s a powerful guy with political connections. I’m worried about that state representative who was making noise last year.”
“The one who proposed the bill that would’ve made it illegal to sell sexual paraphernalia within a mile of a public school.”
“Yeah.”
“It didn’t get out of committee. Don’t worry about it.”
“But if Kendall decides to put money behind this guy… I just can’t figure out what else he might be thinking. God, I’m so sorry, Annabelle. If he—”
“Whatever that bastard tries to do, he won’t have any more effect than every other campaign against the store. We are a Boulder institution. Everyone knows the White Orchid isn’t some seedy sex shop. It’ll be fine.”
“I hope y
ou’re right.”
“Beth, you couldn’t do something to hurt the store if you wanted to. It’s as much your baby as it is mine. Actually, I’ve been wanting to talk to you about that.”
“Babies?” Beth asked in confusion, wondering if Annabelle had met a nice Egyptian man and decided to settle down.
“No, not babies! The store! I’m thinking it might be time for a change.”
“What kind of change?” Beth asked warily. If Annabelle added anything else to Beth’s plate, she was going to have a breakdown.
“I’ve become involved with a women’s organization here. Naeemah—I mentioned Naeemah, right? She runs a women’s group that works with poor women to help manage microloans and start their own businesses.”
“Right.”
“Well, I’m kind of…I’m kind of in love with it, Beth. I don’t want to leave.”
“You don’t?” Beth asked, though the words barely got past the sudden tightness in her throat.
“No, I don’t. It’s not that I want to keep traveling. It’s not that I feel like I’m on vacation. I feel like I’m home.”
Beth nodded because she couldn’t speak.
