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Leah sealed the deal.Me too.
Cate showed up at the restaurant early. She wanted to get a somewhat private table, and she wanted to steel herself against any renegade emotions that might sabotage her.
Ten minutes after she was seated, Gabby and Leah walked in together. Had they planned that? Were they intending tohandlean awkward situation?
Cate stood and smiled. “Hi, you two.”
Her friends’ tight hugs threatened her composure.
Leah sat down and hung her purse on the back of the chair. “We’ve been worried about you,” she said bluntly. “We’ve gone back and forth between giving you your space and wanting to stage an intervention.”
Cate frowned. “Intervention?”
Gabby didn’t have a purse. Her figure-hugging black pants had pockets where she stuffed her keys. She laid her phone on the table. “There’s a rumor that Prescott Harrington kidnapped you.”
Cate’s cheeks reddened. “That’s ridiculous. He was outside the church, gave me a ride, and he’s been letting me crash at his place.”
A flash of hurt crossed Leah’s expressive face. “You know I would have been glad to have you.”
“I get that,” Cate said. “And I appreciate it. But Harry’s place is huge. And he left me alone to grieve. The fact that he didn’t have any kind of relationship with me made things easier. I didn’t have to put on a show.”
Gabby’s eyes narrowed. “A show?”
“I’m sorry. That came out wrong. It’s just that if I had stayed with either of you, I would have tried to beokay—so I wouldn’t upset or worry you. With Harry, I didn’t have to pretend.”
Her two friends stared at her with almost identical expressions of bafflement.
Leah pursed her lips. “You didn’t think we knew how to deal with a friend in crisis?”
Gabby piled on. “You didn’t trust us to offer you the support you needed?”
Cate was exasperated. “Thisis what I’m talking about. I’ve been a total mess. Too much to consider your feelings. I’m not sure Harry evenhastender feelings, so I stayed there. End of story.”
“Fine,” Leah said grumpily. “Let’s order. I need to eat.”
The conversation advanced in jerks and starts. Occasionally, somebody made a joke. The other two laughed. But sitting in the middle of the table was the huge, impossible-to-forget elephant that was Cate’s aborted wedding.
Leah introduced the first real moment of fun. “Tell me you’ve heard the big news out of Blossom Branch.”
Cate shook her head. “I’ve been kind of busy,” she said wryly.
“My mother hasn’t mentioned anything.” Gabby frowned. “What is it?”
“Britain Sheffield was back in town earlier this spring. Incognito.”
Britain was one of Blossom Branch’s most famous sons. A wildly successful actor.
“What for?” Cate asked.
“You remember the drama teacher at the high school? The one who helped Britain get his start? The guy died, and Brit came back for the funeral. While he was home, he reconnected with his high school sweetheart, and now she’s flown off to the other side of the world with him while he’s making movies.”
“Wow,” Gabby said, her expression mildly envious. “I’m not much of a romantic, but even I admit that’s a fairy tale.”
Leah sighed. “I know. It’s the perfect romance.”
“Lucky them.” Cate hoped her comment didn’t sound sarcastic. It was hard to hear a story like that and not compare it to her own tale of woe.
Her friends changed the subject quickly as if belatedly aware that Cate didn’t want to hear any more.
