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“Okay, this is enough already,” Gina said, pouring another glass of wine for each of them.
Sadie took a sip and looked through the sliding glass door to where her brother was shrouded in thick smoke from the barbecue. His sons were on the trampoline and with every jump, the springs shrieked.
“Agreed,” Sadie said, chuckling as Mike waved an oven mitt, trying to dissipate the smoke. “I say we go out for tacos.”
“I’m not talking about Mike’s latest attempt to be Gordon Ramsay,” Gina told her. “I’m talking about you and the pouting fest.”
Sadie sniffed in insult. “I don’t pout. I sulk. It’s much classier.”
“Well sure, but I’m tired of it, so I’m doing something about it.”
Sadie took a sip of wine, shot her sister-in-law a sidelong glance and asked, “What did you do?”
“I fixed you up with Josh. The firefighter on Mike’s squad that I told you about?”
“Right.” Sadie did remember talking about the possibilities there, but how could she be interested in someone else when her mind and heart were focused on Ethan?
“You’re going to meet him for coffee tomorrow afternoon.”
Dread settled in her stomach. This was not a good sign. She was in no shape for a date. She hadn’t slept. She had bags under her eyes deep enough to pack for a month-long vacation and she wasn’t finished sulking. “Oh, Gina, I don’t think so.”
Gina scowled at her. “Sadie, you’ve been...sulking—”
“Thank you.”
“—for more than a week now. You’re in love with Ethan, but you’re not doing anything about it.”
Shocked, she demanded, “What can I do?”
“I don’t know, fight for what you want?”
Hadn’t she said something like that to Ethan not so long ago?
“I thought you were anti-Ethan,” Sadie said.
Gina waved that off. “I’m anti-you-being-hurt. But if you love him, fight for him.”
Shaking her head, Sadie said, “If you can’t win, what’s the point in fighting?”
“If you give up before you start, what’s the point of anything?” Gina stopped and said, “Sorry, sorry. I told Mike I wouldn’t butt in.”
“Fat chance of that,” Mike shouted from outside.
“Ears like a bat,” Gina muttered, then said louder, “Here’s the deal. If you’re not going to fight for Ethan, then it’s time you let yourself see that there are a few million other men out there. I told Josh you’d meet him at CJ’s Diner in Seal Beach for coffee tomorrow afternoon.”
Why did everyone think they could order her around? “Did you tell him what to order for me?”
“Sure,” she said. “Coffee. Weren’t you listening?”
Sadie laughed. She couldn’t help herself. Gina was a force of nature. “Fine. What time am I meeting him?”
“Four,” Gina said. “I told him if coffee goes well, you’ll have time to get dinner.”
“There, or are we going somewhere else?”
“Oh, I’ll leave that up to you two.”
“Hah! She gave Josh a list of restaurants!” Mike shouted, and slammed the barbecue lid down, trying to smother the flames erupting from the grate.
“Just suggestions,” Gina shouted back.
“I appreciate it, Gina,” Sadie said, and it was true. It was nice to be loved so much. Her family was her rock. Knowing that Mike and Gina had her back made what she was going through more bearable. But in spite of her good intentions, Gina couldn’t know just how far out of “dating” mode Sadie really was. “But—”
“Don’t say no, sweetie.” Gina leaned in and squeezed Sadie’s hand. “Just give Josh a chance. Meet him for coffee. See what happens. What could it hurt?”
* * *
Ethan was fine.
No problems here. He could concentrate on work again now that his world was back in order. He didn’t have the distraction of Sadie to keep him from concentrating. It was only the memory of her that haunted him now. He sensed her all over his house. Her scent lingered on the pillow she used. Her shampoo was still in his shower—he should toss it out, but he hadn’t. He heard the phantom echo of her laughter and when he closed his eyes, he saw hers.
