talked shortly after the surgery on her leg, and Ginny knew that her friend had sunk into a dark place. But she hadn’t stayed there. “Come on. You’re still in fantastic shape. So, good for you. Now, tell me how you like teaching.”
“Only if you tell me the real reason you dropped out of Juilliard. I can’t believe you’re still living here and not playing a fourteen-karat-gold piano on a yacht somewhere exotic.”
“What the—” Ginny burst out laughing. “You’re not allowed to have any booze. None,” she said and turned to see what Harlow was squinting at.
The late-afternoon sun filled the lobby with natural light, but from where she was sitting, the glare made it difficult to see.
“Isn’t that Cricket?” Harlow ducked her head when someone at the next table stood and blocked her view. “In line at the reception desk?”
Ginny finally spotted her. “I’m so glad she made it. She looks great, doesn’t she?”
“Like a big-shot lawyer. Oh, no...it’s Troy what’s-his-name behind her. He thinks we’re waving at him.” Harlow sank back in her chair, averting her face. “I hope he doesn’t do something stupid like stop by...”
“Isn’t he the guy who you—”
Harlow’s glare cut her off.
“Sorry.” Ginny hid a smile and turned back to tracking Cricket.
Ginny was anxious to see her, even though they’d connected twice when Cricket had come home to visit her dad, who still lived in a shack on the beach. Of the whole gang, Cricket probably knew her the best, but even though she and the rest of her friends knew about Tilda, they didn’t know the entire reason Ginny had left Julliard.
The server delivered the pitcher and glasses, and Harlow asked her to bring one more.
“Have you heard from Jade? Do you know what time she’s arriving?”
“Late, I think.” Harlow kept her head bowed as she poured. “Where’s Cricket? Getting close?”
“She has one person ahead of her.”
“Is Troy still looking over here?”
“Nope. He’s talking to someone.”
“Good.” Harlow slid the drink to her. “What about Meg? Have you heard from her?”
Ginny’s stomach lurched, even though she’d known the question would come up. “Not for a while. I seriously doubt she’ll be here.”
“I guess we could ask Andrea. She’s checking people in and passing out name badges.”
“Oh, Cricket is at the desk. I hope she doesn’t go straight to her room,” Ginny said, taking her first sip. The salty tartness woke up her taste buds. As for the alcohol, she’d have to watch herself. With the exception of an occasional glass of wine, she didn’t drink much at all.
“She won’t.” After a healthy sip of her margarita, Harlow sighed, then blinked at Ginny. “I can’t believe I forgot to ask... You have a daughter. She must be a teenager by now, right?”
“Oh, yes, she is.”
Harlow put out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “I know you have pictures.”
“You bet I do.” She queued her phone, then handed it over. “Millions of them, but you only have to look at the first hundred.”
Harlow’s grin turned wistful as she started the slide show. “You think you might have more kids?”
“I’d like to,” Ginny said slowly. She’d always wanted to have a family, a husband, at least two more kids. But the subject had the potential to raise questions she didn’t want to answer. “What about you?”
“Well, I’ve been saying someday for so long I’m not sure where I stand. Oh, cute.” Harlow held up the picture of Tilda in her first Halloween costume. “Are you in contact with her father?”
Ginny held in a sigh. “Nope,” she said, hoping her tone would end the topic. Harlow returned to the slide show, and Ginny looked back to check on Cricket’s progress.
Her gaze landed on a man. Tall, dark hair, muscular arms. She could only see his profile, but he looked out of place in faded jeans and a black T-shirt. He wasn’t one of the golfers, although why she felt certain of that she couldn’t say. And he sure hadn’t been one of her classmates.
He stood near the reception desk, but he wasn’t waiting in line. If he was looking for someone, he didn’t seem to be overly invested in finding them. He glanced almost negligently over the crowd, then donned a pair of aviator sunglasses.
Ginny’s heart rate picked up speed.
He reminded her of someone, although she couldn’t place him. This guy had a swimmer’s build—broad shoulders, slim waist and hips. Probably rode a motorcycle, wrestled grizzly bears for fun and opened cans with his teeth.
“Earth to Ginny.”
She jerked a look at Harlow. “What?”
“What are you doing? Did you see someone or—” Harlow gasped. “Is it Troy? Is he coming over to us?”
“No.” The mystery man was most definitely not Troy. She sneaked a peek his way again, but he was gone. She looked right then left. He’d disappeared. “Oh, here comes Cricket.”
She and Harlow stood at the same time and met her partway.
“I should’ve known I’d find you guys near the booze,” Cricket said as she reached them. She raised her brows at Ginny. “Look at you in that sexy little sundress.”
Sexy? Ginny rolled her eyes. “I’m so glad you made it,” she said, pulling Cricket into a hug. “I couldn’t believe it when I got your email yesterday.”
“Ditto for me. Now, quit hogging her.” Harlow threw her arms around both of them.
After a few seconds, Cricket made an odd gurgling noise. “Okay, you have to let me breathe,” she said. “Seriously.”
Ginny laughed and backed off first. “We better grab our seats.”
After pouring Cricket a drink, Harlow said something Ginny didn’t catch. She tried to stay with the conversation, she really did. But she was hopelessly obsessed with finding the man in the jeans and black T-shirt. It was as if he’d disappeared into thin air.
Cricket was staring at her, and so was Harlow.
Ginny blinked. “What?”
The server saved her from further humiliation when she stopped to see if Cricket wanted something besides the margarita.
No sooner had the woman moved on than Cricket asked, “What’s going on with you? Everything okay?”
“Sure.” Ginny smiled. “Other than Harlow trying to get me drunk, everything’s fine.”
