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“Seriously? You went rock climbing on your honeymoon?” Jessica asked as a timer sounded in the kitchen and the smell of cinnamon rolls made Sarah’s mouth water.
“Yeah. Didn’t you see the pictures I posted on Facebook?” Lia finished stretching and yanked her dark hair free of her ponytail, shaking it loose around her thin, muscular shoulders. Not even so much as a ripple appeared in the dark locks from the elastic band.
If Sarah took her hair out of her ponytail holder right now, she’d have a huge lump in the back of her head all day.
“No, sorry, no Facebook account,” Jessica said.
Jessica preferred face-to-face connections. She always insisted on FaceTime phone calls and said texting couldn’t replace an actual conversation with a friend, while social media seemed to be an addiction for most. She’d survived this long without having an online presence besides her bakery website, and Sarah had given up trying to convert her friend.
Obviously Lia thought Jessica was a bit too out there. “How is that possible?”
“Jess is one of those weirdos who doesn’t need constant validation,” Sarah said, shrugging. “I know, bizarre, right?”
“I see you caught your breath finally. Good, because we’re jogging back,” Lia told her. “Anyway, Jess, I have pics on my phone I’ll show you.” She pulled her phone out of who knew where, and Sarah frowned as she examined her own stretchy workout pants but couldn’t find a pocket anywhere. Maybe splurging on a big name brand was worth the price… They probably made Lia’s ass look better than it actually was as well.
That’s what she’d tell herself.
Jessica moved around to the other side of the counter to get a better look at Lia’s photos.
“Ugh,” Lia said, unlocking her phone screen with her thumbprint.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, just a text from my brother, Mitch…” she read quickly. “He’s not going to make it to the reunion after all. He has to be in Cambodia until December.” Her beaming smile made Jessica frown.
“Isn’t that a bad thing—that he’ll miss it?” Jessica asked, shooting a look at Sarah above Lia’s head.
She hates him, Sarah mouthed.
“Oh, of course,” Lia said quickly, but her smile didn’t completely disappear. “He’ll be missed.”
Not by her, by the sound of it.
“I would just feel bad for those sick kids if he abandoned them early, that’s all,” she said tightly.
It didn’t escape Sarah’s notice that she could have planned the reunion for a time that Mitch could actually attend. Leaving him out on purpose, maybe? Not to have the spotlight stolen from her for a change? Everyone loved Mitch. He was almost ten years older than they were, so they were never close friends, but having an older brother who looked out for her was just another thing Lia had that Sarah had envied. Lia didn’t count herself quite so lucky, having to fight for her parents’ attention and approval.
“He’s working over there?” Jessica asked.
Lia nodded. “Doctors Without Borders. He gave up his practice in L.A. two years ago to travel with them.”
“Wow, that’s incredibly noble…” Jessica stopped. Lia’s glare was absolutely paralyzing. “You were going to show me pics of Everest,” she said.
“Yes, I was,” Lia said, scrolling through thousands of photos—a lot of selfies—to find them.
The phone on the wall rang, and Lia squinted as though not recognizing it. “Is that a landline?”
Jessica laughed. Everyone gave her heck for it, but her friend didn’t care. She refused to put her cell phone number on her website or business card, claiming work-life balance was important. She said customers could place their orders online or leave a message. Sarah had mad respect for her friend’s ability to run a successful business without becoming a workaholic. She’d love to know the secret.
Maybe if she didn’t work for someone else, she could set her own boundaries, make her own hours, take on the clients and projectsshewanted…
But Jessica had put years into building up her business and reputation in town. Could Sarah really take that leap of faith?
…
Wes fixed his tie as he waited in the lobby of the bank on Main Street. Dustin hadn’t wasted any time getting him in to see the loan manager, and while he appreciated his brother-in-law’s help, he couldn’t shake the nagging uncertainty in the pit of his stomach.
He’d already lost the office space once before. He’d hate to get in there and have to close up again if things didn’t go as planned, if his goal to expand his business failed. He had a good reputation in town, and people in the community would support him, but would that be enough without actual construction accounts?
