I shrugged. “That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it.” I put my hand to the edge of my mouth and stage-whispered, “Can’t let word get around the station that I watch all the sappy Christmas movies with my mom.”
Her smile grew, and she raised her hand in a scout salute. “I solemnly swear to keep your secret.”
I grinned in response. Judging by the way I felt right now, I still liked to be the one to make her smile. Guess that was one thing that hadn’t changed.
“Order for Bryce!” Grateful for the interruption, I turned and grabbed the brown bag from the counter. Holding it up, I said, “Gotta run. I’m dropping this at the station for the guys.” I pointed across the restaurant to the booth where I’d been sitting with Monica while we ate our food. “Monica’s over there chatting with Charlotte. Be sure to say hello.”
Krystal’s gaze followed my finger before she turned back. “I will. It was really good to see you, Bryce. It’s been too long. Maybe we can hang out a bit while I’m here–just like old times.”
Old times, huh? That was tempting. I couldn’t deny that I missed my friend, even after all these years. But I couldn’t allow myself to go all the way back to how things were at eighteen. That wouldn’t end well for me. Nothing had changed. Krystal’s life was in California now. And mine was here.
I nodded my agreement with a tight smile and headed toward the door. From her comment, it was apparent she didn’t know yet that we would be spending a fair bit of time together planning the Spring Sparks Auction. To say we would be ‘hanging out a bit’ was an understatement.
The fundraiser was a big one, and the event planning team consisted of… well, just the two of us.
I’d go ahead and let her mom share that news with her. Knowing Krystal, and if she hadn’t changed too much, she would be happy to help. And irritated at her mother for withholding this particular information.
* * *
KRYSTAL
I watched Bryce’s retreating frame, my eyes zeroing in on the neat MRFD initials embroidered on the back of his baseball hat. The letters were rigid and solid…and I couldn’t help but think they represented everything about Bryce. Straight edges, unwavering and predictable.
It seemed like every person in the restaurant waved to him on his way out. I saw his broad smile as he turned to push the door open with his back, his hands full of takeout bags. It was carefree and genuine. Different from the one he’d given me. It was more like the ones I remembered, when we ambled down the back roads with the music up, wind in my hair.
“Order for Krystal!”
I jolted and turned back toward the counter. “That’s me.”
As I paid for the food, two arms came around me, pinning my arms to my sides. “It is so good to see you!”
“Monica!” I turned into the embrace and hugged her back. “I was going to come by your table and say hi, but you beat me to it.”
She stepped back. “I just wanted to be sure you didn’t sneak out. I saw you talking to Bryce.” Her eyes said all the things Monica didn’t vocalize. Questions and innuendos. But I shook my head. Monica should know it wasn’t like that.
Not anymore.
“We were just catching up a bit. Nothing more.”
Monica tipped her head. “If you say so.”
“I do.”
Bryce was as fun and charming as ever. He certainly didn’t look like the scrawny eighteen-year-old I remembered, fresh out of high school and headed to boot camp at the fire academy. He was a man now. I couldn’t deny the twinge of jealousy that flared when he mentioned watching movies with a girlfriend. Of course, he had later joked about watching the movie with his mother. I couldn’t be sure which was true. It certainly wouldn’t be out of the question for him to be dating. Or even married. I always expected him to find someone. But there had been no ring on his finger.
Some guys didn’t wear rings. But he had said girlfriend, not wife. Not that it mattered. I had to go back to LA in two months. I had auditioned for a dozen new Christmas movies this year, hopeful that the experience fromA Nanny for Christmasand myLaw and Orderappearance would give me a leg up. I wasn’t a big name, but I knew many actresses who had built a successful career making made-for-TV movies.
“I better get this food back to my mom.”
“Of course,” Monica replied. “Let’s get together later this week. Hopefully this next storm doesn’t bring near the ice the last one did. I’ll be bringing a meal on Friday. At least I think that is what Miss Ruth assigned me.”
I smiled. “She is the best. That sounds good. It looks like I won’t have to stay with Mom all day, every day. So we can definitely find time to grab coffee.”
I said good-bye to Monica and made my way out of the bistro. Unlike Bryce’s exit, there weren’t a lot of people who said good-bye. Even if they recognized me, the truth was most of Minden didn’t really know me. I felt their eyes, though.
It was impossible to stay anonymous in this town. Anyone who didn’t know I was back already would know by tomorrow, judging by the curious stares.
When I got home, I found my mom right where I left her in the recliner. “I come bearing Thai food!”