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“We met the other day.” Dolley frowned, staring at Carolina’s face. “Doesn’t she look like Dana?”
Abby frowned. “Maybe.”
“Our cousin?” the other woman asked.
“Yes.” Dolley wouldn’t look away.
Carolina’s chest rose and fell with her panting breath.
“I don’t see it.” The woman with the long, curly, red hair held out her hand. “I’m Bess.”
“Nice to meet you.” Carolina hoped the words didn’t come out scrambled. She was with her half sisters and they had no clue.
“Don’t forget, dinner tonight,” Abby called as Bess and Dolley left.
“Free food. Who can forget that?” Dolley called back.
“Why don’t you come, too?” Abby asked.
“Me?” Carolina’s voice squeaked.
“Sure.” Abby looked at a schedule on her desk. “You’re only working lunch today, right?”
“I…yes. But I was going to fix something for a…friend…for dinner.” Could she get any more tongue-tied?
“Bring him or her along.”
Would she fall apart if she was around the Fitzgeralds? People who didn’t know who she was to them?
“Join us.” Abby moved around the desk. “It’ll be fun.”
Fun. There hadn’t been much of that in her life—other than Sage. “Thank you. I would appreciate one of your meals.”
“With the stress from your mother in the hospital, you deserve a break.” Abby touched her arm. “How is she doing? Has the radiation helped?”
Carolina recited the facts again.
“I hope she gets better,” Abby said.
“I wanted to know if you need me to move out of the apartment. We never set a deadline.”
“Are they talking about releasing your mother?”
Carolina shook her head. “They haven’t said anything.”
“Then stay.”
Carolina bit her lip. “Is it a problem if a friend bunks with me?”
“The handsome man I’ve seen leave the apartment some mornings?” Abby grinned. “He works with Kaden, right?”
Carolina’s blush burned her face. “Not him. It’s my accompanist. She’s heading to Hilton Head for a gig and wanted to drop by for a while.”
“Of course. It’s your place to use.” Abby raised her eyebrows. “Accompanist?”
“That’s the other thing I wanted to ask. If you did get a piano, she could play instead of using a karaoke machine. At least until she has to leave.”
Abby stood, tapping her lip. “Perfect. I love this. We never really talked about compensation. I’ve done some research, but I’d like to know how much you’d like to get paid.”
Carolina and Abby discussed pay and number of sets. Abby was more than fair with her offer.
“Let me know the exact day your accompanist is arriving.” Abby grinned. “If things work out, maybe she’ll stay in Savannah.”
“I will.” Her professional life was falling into place and would ease her money worries. “I’d better head to the bar.”
“See you tonight.”
She was going to have dinner with her sisters. She sure hoped it wasn’t a mistake.
* * *
“ARE YOU SURE you don’t want to just relax?” Carolina asked Sage. “You looked tired.”
It was the second time she’d asked him this evening. “Don’t you want to go to dinner?”
“I… I don’t want to impose on the Fitzgeralds.” Carolina ran her fingers on the hem of her yellow sundress. “Am I too dressy? Maybe I should change.”
“You look great.” She’d been on edge all evening and he wanted her to relax. “What’s up? Do you want to cancel? Do you want me to leave?”
Her head snapped up from studying the floor. “Please don’t go.”
“Are you worried about eating with your boss?”
Carolina’s shoulders were so high, they almost covered her ears. “No.”
Was she lying? “Then let’s go.”
“But you look tired.” She locked the door and they headed down the stairs.
“I’m fine.” Sage took her hand as they crossed the courtyard. He’d run this morning, but didn’t want Carolina to overreact to his improvements. “Maybe a little tired.”
“If you get tired or have a headache, let me know. Even if we haven’t eaten dinner, we can leave.”
“Honey, I’m good.”
“I know that,” she whispered.
He loved the peach stain that spread across her face as she blushed. “What are you thinking about?”
