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Her head snaps to attention. “Do you think she’s going to?”
I shrug. “Who knows? I mean, she’s coming back to Chicago. It’s not out of the realm of possibility.”
“Yeah, but we’re not in Chicago,” she says.
“No, but Beth doesn’t know exactly where we are. Plus, my company is still there.”
Sammy’s eyes narrow as she thinks. “It would be weird.”
“Yes, but would it be welcome?”
“I don’t know. I mean, there are a lot of hard feelings, you know?”
Oh, I know. But instead of saying so, I simply nod my head in agreement. “Do you think you’d want to meet her?”
“I’d be scared to death,” Sammy says. “But yeah, I guess I would.”
“I’ll keep that in mind if she gets in touch.”
We spend the next few minutes silently consuming our berry scones and sipping our drinks.
My life is nothing like I thought it would be. I thought Beth and I would be married and have at least a couple more children. I envisioned family vacations and growing old with my soulmate. Life was meant to be so much more, and yet it hasn’t been bad. Just different.
I’m so lost in my ruminations that I don’t immediately realize Sammy starts talking to someone. Not until I hear her say, “I’m glad you’re going to see Tim again. He seems really nice.”
Tim?Crap. I look up to find Melissa standing over us. “Good morning.” I try to force a pleasant tone.
She doesn’t seem as inclined. “If you say so.” Uh-oh. The dislike is real.
Sammy looks between us with confusion. “Thanks for yesterday, Melissa. I had a blast.”
“I had a blast withyou,” she responds. Is it my imagination or did she emphasize the “you” like she wanted me to know that she did not enjoy her time with me.The liar.
“What are you going to wear on your date today?” Sammy wants to know.
“I have a pretty pink sundress that I love.”
“I bet you look great in pink,” Sammy says. “I mean, everyone tells me I do, and as you’ve pointed out, we have the same coloring.”
“I do lookgreatin pink.” Melissa stares right at me.
Crumpling up the paper my scone was wrapped in, I say, “We’d better get going, Sammy. We’ve got a big day.”
She stands and begins to clear the mess off our table while asking Melissa, “Do you want me to come into work tomorrow?”
“How about from ten to three? That will cover three appointments.”
Sammy reaches out and puts her arms around her new bestie. With a squeeze, she says, “I’ll be there.”
Melissa holds onto Sammy tightly while saying, “I’m so glad you moved to Elk Lake, Sammy.”
“Me, too,” my daughter answers.
Even though Melissa seems to hate me, I’m glad we moved here, too. Elk Lake is a place of new beginnings—a place Sammy and I can call our own with no history pulling us backward.
CHAPTERTWENTY-TWO
MELISSA
