AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Peach colored,” Helen said at nearly the same time.
Leighton went with it, accepting her color shortcomings. Who knew? “Right. Okay. Go ahead.”
Helen scooted to the edge of her chair listening intently. Susan-Jane pressed on, using a long black pointer to showcase her example up on the screen. “It’s a tad more vibrant but with your sister’s dark hair, she’ll radiate.”
“I see your point,” Helen said. “Well, that’s what I want. Total radiation on my wedding day.” She looked to Leighton, who sat up straight.
“Always a fan of radiating. Yes.” In all honesty, any dress would be fine. Any venue. Any song. Wasn’t this more about them and making sure the day was a fantastic one, full of love and fun and memories? Peach was peach.
But the rest of the day was much like that, and by midafternoon, Leighton caught herself checking her phone every few minutes, wondering why she hadn’t heard from Jamie in a couple of days. Normally, they texted back and forth throughout the day, and the silence had her scratching her head. Was Jamie still hung up on the dinner-gone-wrong? She seemed a little off the other night at Too when she’d spilled the wine. The more Leighton thought about it, the more she couldn’t stop. The wheels on the rest of their day turned at an excruciatingly slow pace, and at the end of it, Leighton needed answers.
“I haven’t heard from Jamie in a while,” she said to Helen on the stoop in front of Susan-Jane’s suite of offices. “I want to swing by and make sure she’s okay. Is that all right?”
“Totally fine. I’m gonna meet Audrey and Natalie for drinks, in that case.”
“Have the best time.”
“Tell Jamie I said hello. And the girlfriend, too, if she’s there.” Helen headed off in one direction and Leighton in the other.
Maybe that was it. Leighton paused on the sidewalk. It was possible Jamie was so caught up in her new relationship that she simply had to hit pause on the other aspects of her life, including Leighton. She hated the thought but also knew that she had to be mature about the situation. Jamie was entitled to have her own happily ever after, and Leighton would support her no matter how it made her feel, which was, quite honestly, confused.
Instead of texting and waiting the few hours it had been taking Jamie to get back to her these days, she went straight to her place. She wouldn’t be working late on Saturday most likely, as she’d been handing off more weekend responsibility to her staff. When she landed in front of Jamie’s building, she smiled when she saw Jamie’s mother, Sama, descend the steps.
“Leighton. Have you seen the weather report?”
She blinked, searching her brain. “I haven’t.”
“It’s scheduled to rain soon. Would you like my umbrella?”
Sama extended the only umbrella she carried, ready to hand it over and face the rain unarmed. The kindness and thoughtfulness spoke volumes. This was the woman who had raised Jamie, made her into the ray of sunshine that she was. It struck her then just how selfless their whole family was. “No, no. I’ll be just fine. You hold on to that.” She glanced behind her. “Would you like me to grab you a cab?”
Sama held up her phone. “I’ve got a car on the way. One of those Ubers. Jamie showed me how to summon them. It’s quite magical.”
“I’ve always thought so.”
She gave Leighton’s wrist a squeeze on the way down the steps. “Let’s have wine at the second little bar soon.”
She grinned. Everyone had their own nickname for Bordeauxnuts Too. She liked it that way. “I’d love it.”
“And Leighton?”
“Yes?” She looked down the stairs to Sama, whose forehead was now creased in concern.
Her demeanor had shifted. She took a moment to formulate the right words. “She’s not herself. Maybe you can help.”
Leighton looked up at the building with a pit in her stomach. That didn’t sound good. “I’ll see what I can do.”
She knocked on the door only to have Jamie swing it open almost immediately. “Did you forget some—” The words died when she saw Leighton standing there. Her head tilted. “Hi.”
“Hi. Where have you been?”
Jamie squinted. “Um, here. Work. Then other work. Then here again.” She touched her forehead, brushing away a strand of hair. Hers was up today and she wore a slightly oversized pair of pale blue sweats that made her look cuddly and adorable. “I’m confused by the question.”
Leighton swallowed. “I haven’t heard from you, which is out of the ordinary these days.” What was also weird was the way Jamie was blocking the doorway with her body as if choosing to keep Leighton in the hallway, at a distance. She didn’t like it. Where had their informality gone? Why couldn’t they just bethem? “Can I come in?”
Jamie looked behind. She wasdeciding? Something was definitely going on, and the best thing she could be to Jamie, this woman who mattered so much to her, was a friend. “Sure. Come on in.”
She followed Jamie inside, but the vibe between them didn’t change. Jamie was unusually quiet, her usual words of welcome followed by snack peddling also oddly absent.
