“She’s just paying him back for making her wait so long,” Joanna said. “Aren’t you, Meg?”
She wished. Her mother was practically frantic about her sister Rebecca’s broken engagement, then her rebound romance with Michael Pierce that seemed to be moving way too quickly. Once again, the pressure was on Meg to do the right thing. So to be honest, she had no idea why she hadn’t told Trey “yes” on the spot, except for the underlying feeling that there was something missing. Like romance. Passion. Excitement. Still, Joanna’s explanation seemed good enough for now. “Right. I’m going to let him cool his heels for a while.”
“And who knows?” Kathie said with a sly grin. “In the meantime, maybe you’ll meet some one who’ll make you forget all about Trey Carnegie.”
“Kathie,” Joanna chided, “Trey is a catch, especially around here.”
That was odd. Did Joanna mean that if they weren’t in Peoria, Trey wouldn’t be as good a catch? But she knew what her friend meant—young, successful men from prominent wealthy families did not grow on trees in their quaint city.
“Did he offer you a ring?” Sharon asked, a wistful look in her eyes.
“He wants me to pick it out when I’m ready.”
“Did you tell him when you’d give him an answer?” Joanna asked, equally starry-eyed.
Guilt twinged low in Meg’s stomach—both Joanna and Sharon would change places with her in a split-second, and here she was stalling. “I told him we’d talk about it when I get back from vacation. I’m taking off all next week.”
Kathie whooped. “You’re finally taking the five-day bonus they gave you for being Teacher of the Year?”
That was a source of pride and embarrassment.
In fact, maybe some of the disquiet she’d been experiencing could be posttraumatic stress over the wave of statewide publicity she’d received the past couple of months. More expectations. Meg nodded sheepishly.
“Well, it’s about time.”
“Where are you going?” Sharon asked.
“Somewhere exciting?” Joanna asked.
“A cruise?”
“The beach?”
“Vegas?”
Meg folded her napkin and patted her mouth.
“I’m going to Chicago to run my sister’s costume shop.”
In the ensuing silence, she got the feeling her friends were a little underwhelmed.
“Oh.”
“That’s nice.”
“Er, yes, very nice.”
Meg sipped on her straw. The end of her fountain soda greeted her with a great sucking noise.
“That doesn’t sound like much of a vacation,”
Kathie said finally.
“No, it doesn’t,” Sharon agreed.
“Not at all,” Joanna said.
“No, but I’m glad to do it,” Meg said. In fact, she’d been counting the days. She needed a change of scenery, time to think. “It’ll be fun.
And Rebecca needs me.”
“Really, Meg,” Kathie said dryly. “One of these days you’re going to have to live a more sedate life.”
Meg stuck out her tongue and the girls laughed. Then the bell rang. They groaned and gathered the remnants of their lunch.
“Do you ever have the feeling that your life revolves around bells?” Meg asked.
Kathie frowned. “I hear that darn thing in my sleep.”
Meg sighed as they walked out into the clattering hall, once again gripped by a quiet fear she couldn’t put her finger on. Miles of battered lockers, acres of scuffed floors, the din of hundreds of little voices, the lingering odor of paper and paste. Was this really where she belonged?
“Depressing, isn’t it?” Kathie asked, taking in the same scene.
“No,” Meg said too quickly. “I love my job.”
“I love my job, too,” Kathie said with a wry smile. “But I can’t say that I love the fact that all the men in my life are Cub Scouts.”
“You could date if you wanted to,” Meg said. “What about your neighbor, the doctor?”
“Oh, right—I’ve seen the man twice. The first time he said hello, I closed my hand in the car door. The second time, I walked into the mailbox. I think I’ve burned my bridges where he’s concerned—even a doctor doesn’t have that much insurance.” She sighed dramatically. “No, I’ve resigned myself to spinsterhood.”
“We’re only twenty-seven, Kathie. We won’t be spinsters for at least another three years.” Three short years…
She smirked. “So what’s the real reason you didn’t say yes to Trey? Having second thoughts?”
“No, I told you—”
“You’re making him pay.” Kathie shook her head. “I don’t buy it, Meg. You don’t have a vindictive bone in your body.”
Meg sunk her teeth into her bottom lip, surprised at Kathie’s sudden gravity.
Then her friend sighed. “Whatever the reason, make sure you take as long as you need to decide whether or not Trey is the man for you.”
At a loss for words, Meg simply nodded.
Then her friend grinned again, and elbowed her in the ribs. “I still can’t believe you’ve got an entire week away from this place, and you’re going to spend it working.”
“I won’t be working the entire time,” Meg protested. “I’ll have my evenings free, and two Sundays.”
Her friend wagged her eyebrows. “Oooh, maybe I should come with you to keep you out of trouble.”
Even Meg had to laugh—she’d never been in trouble in her life. “Have fun at the fan festival—I hope you find that naughty dress you’re looking for.”
“Shhhh!” Kathie looked around, then moved in close. “If Principal O’Banion even hears the word ‘naughty,’ she’ll start digging into my personal life.”
Meg scoffed. “You’re exaggerating.”
“Tell that to Amanda Rollins.”
“The art teacher? What about her?”
“Well,
