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A ridiculous stab of jealousy hit me. She could talk and joke so easily with Savannah, or Elizabeth, even my mother, and Violet. But not with me.
“Well, you already know I can’t wait for the next book. You guys enjoy your burgers,” she said through a grin.
“Thank you, Savannah. It was so good to finally see you again.”
“We missed you around here. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Will do,” I called to her retreating back before turning to face Charlotte. “So, Vi’s book club, huh? Fair warning, there is book talk, but they mostly get tipsy and gossip, right?”
She lightly smacked a hand on the table and laughed. “That’s the only reason why I agreed to do it. I can’t talk about my books, here, in my hometown with people I grew up around, not with any kind of seriousness. I’d feel like a pretentious ass.”
I drew my head back in surprise. “It’s not pretentious to talk about your work. Everyone in town loves your books.”
A lovely blush rose over her cheeks as she contemplated my statement. God, she was so damn cute. “Noooooo, no one reads them, just Savannah and Elizabeth,” she scoffed. “People are just being nice because I grew up here.”
I chuckled. “Sorry to break it to you but that isn’t true. You have a lot of readers in town.”
“Let’s talk about something else. Adaline and I aren’t getting along lately and I’m mad at her.”
“Ah, she’s not talking to you?” I took a bite of my burger and waited to see if I would get an answer or a shrug.
“Nope. She’s unusually quiet. I’m getting kind of nervous about it, if I’m being honest. My deadline is looming over me like a nightmare.”
“Call my mom,” I suggested. “Write with her at Vi’s. She swears it’s the secret to her productivity—a constant flow of caffeine and baked goods while observing the good folk of Sweetbriar going about their daily business.”
She bit her lip in indecision. “You wouldn’t mind if I did that? Really? Are you sure?” The eagerness in her expression made me smile.
“Not at all.”
“Thank you, Cade.” She beamed at me. “I missed writing with your mom so much.” She seemed to have missed everyone except for me.
Ouch.
Without meaning to, I rubbed a circle over my chest, to ease the ache there caused by her words—or rather, her lack of any words that would imply she had missed me too.
She was so cavalier about being gone, like it was no big deal. But it had devastated my life when she left and it was only in the last few years I had managed to pick up the pieces and put them back into some semblance of what I used to be.
“Of course. Just because you moved away doesn’t mean this isn’t your home.”
“Right. Sweetbriar will always be home for me.”
“And now you’re back. You should feel comfortable here. I want you to.”
The weight of her stare silenced me once more as my heart stuttered in my chest.
We spent the rest of lunch in companiable quiet. It was comfortable instead of awkward. Maybe this had been a good idea after all.
“I brought your check.” Collectively startled by Savannah’s voice, we both jumped, then drew our hands back sharply when we reached for the check at the same time. “You two will always be the cutest.” She spun away, heading back toward the bar.
“Let me pay,” Charlotte said.
“I invited you, remember?”
“Fine. But I’ll get the next one. I really do need to get back to my laptop.” She slid out of the booth then bent to retrieve her purse and jacket. She hesitated at the edge of the table. Her smile was sad, and maybe kind of longing too. I found myself wanting to ask her to stay, for coffee or dessert. Or to come home with me for dessert of a different kind, then coffee in the morning. “Thank you, Cade. I’m glad we did this,” she finally said as she slipped into her jacket.
“I am too. Bye, Charlotte.”
The next one.I took comfort in those words and smiled to myself as I dug in my pocket for my wallet. There would be a next one, I’d make sure of it.
