girl?” she asked as she enveloped the young woman in a hug.
“I’m good,” she said, “but I need to get back to work. Why don’t you take a seat together, and I’ll bring you something decadent.” Stacy ran behind the counter and began putting together the orders for customers.
“Hello, Sarah,” Victoria said. “Carl, it’s nice to see you.”
Carl went to give Victoria a hug, but his wife cleared her throat and instead he stepped back and nodded. “Nice to see you too. I bet the house is full of bugs and spiders after you’ve been gone so long. Maybe even some frogs.” He winked at her.
“No, it seems I’m pest free. You and your henchmen must have left me out of your usual pranks,” Victoria said with a smile. “I sincerely thank you for that.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Frog Face. I would never do any such thing,” he said with a mischievous grin.
Molly smiled and let out a long breath. Carl and Bill had always been known for their pranks as children. More than once houses became infested with garden snakes, ants, or frogs as a practical joke.
“Better watch out or I’ll sock you in the stomach the way I did when we were kids.” Victoria raised her fist in pretend fight. “Would the two of you like to join us? We could catch up.”
She’s trying, Molly thought. Another good sign.
“I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood to hear stories of your life in California or your travels.” Sarah looked to the counter and caught Stacy’s attention. “We’ll just get two decaf coffees to go, please.”
“Sarah, please,” Molly said. She wanted to grab both her friends and force them to hug. These were the women who spent every night of their school days braiding each other’s hair and reading books under the covers with flashlights after lights-out was called. They’d been like sisters and now they couldn’t look at one another.
Sarah turned to Carl. “I’m going to wait in the car. I’ll talk to you later, Molly.” She walked away and grabbed her coat.
Carl shrugged his shoulders. “Women. I swear, if you just fought it out in a boxing match it would be less painful than what you do to each other. And quicker too.” He kissed Molly on the cheek and patted Victoria on the arm. “Give it time.” Then he moved to the counter and paid for the two coffees.
Victoria wrapped her arms around her chest in a protective stance. “Let’s get some coffee and dessert. The aroma in here is making me crave something decadent.” Victoria walked to the end of the line and refused to look outside where Carl and Sarah were getting into their car.
Molly sighed. How was she going to bring them back together? A rushing noise came from behind her eardrums. Her eyes squeezed shut as blue lights swam behind her eyelids.She felt her knees go weak and she grabbed the back of a chair to steady her. As soon as the feeling came, it was gone. Molly looked to Victoria and saw that she was focused on the specials written on the chalkboard. She hadn’t noticed. It was nothing, Molly thought. Just a silly head rush . But a sense of panic fluttered through her.
CHAPTER 4
T hrough the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Bay Towers’ penthouse restaurant, Heather could see the moonlight reflect off Boston Harbor. Large party boats, with lights strung across their railings, glided across the water. She leaned close to the windowpane to see the street thirty floors below, where a Clydesdale horse pulled a white carriage back to Quincy Market.
Crystal glasses clinking together brought Heather’s attention back to the party. The elegant room buzzed with the chatter of hundreds of people dressed in formal wear as businessmen networked over after-dinner drinks. A few couples waltzed in the center of the room.
No matter how many events Heather attended on Charlie’s arm, or how beautiful and expensive the clothing she wore, she never felt comfortable or that she belonged.
Heather had grown up
“I’m good,” she said, “but I need to get back to work. Why don’t you take a seat together, and I’ll bring you something decadent.” Stacy ran behind the counter and began putting together the orders for customers.
“Hello, Sarah,” Victoria said. “Carl, it’s nice to see you.”
Carl went to give Victoria a hug, but his wife cleared her throat and instead he stepped back and nodded. “Nice to see you too. I bet the house is full of bugs and spiders after you’ve been gone so long. Maybe even some frogs.” He winked at her.
“No, it seems I’m pest free. You and your henchmen must have left me out of your usual pranks,” Victoria said with a smile. “I sincerely thank you for that.”
“Don’t know what you’re talking about, Frog Face. I would never do any such thing,” he said with a mischievous grin.
Molly smiled and let out a long breath. Carl and Bill had always been known for their pranks as children. More than once houses became infested with garden snakes, ants, or frogs as a practical joke.
“Better watch out or I’ll sock you in the stomach the way I did when we were kids.” Victoria raised her fist in pretend fight. “Would the two of you like to join us? We could catch up.”
She’s trying, Molly thought. Another good sign.
“I’m sorry, I’m not in the mood to hear stories of your life in California or your travels.” Sarah looked to the counter and caught Stacy’s attention. “We’ll just get two decaf coffees to go, please.”
“Sarah, please,” Molly said. She wanted to grab both her friends and force them to hug. These were the women who spent every night of their school days braiding each other’s hair and reading books under the covers with flashlights after lights-out was called. They’d been like sisters and now they couldn’t look at one another.
Sarah turned to Carl. “I’m going to wait in the car. I’ll talk to you later, Molly.” She walked away and grabbed her coat.
Carl shrugged his shoulders. “Women. I swear, if you just fought it out in a boxing match it would be less painful than what you do to each other. And quicker too.” He kissed Molly on the cheek and patted Victoria on the arm. “Give it time.” Then he moved to the counter and paid for the two coffees.
Victoria wrapped her arms around her chest in a protective stance. “Let’s get some coffee and dessert. The aroma in here is making me crave something decadent.” Victoria walked to the end of the line and refused to look outside where Carl and Sarah were getting into their car.
Molly sighed. How was she going to bring them back together? A rushing noise came from behind her eardrums. Her eyes squeezed shut as blue lights swam behind her eyelids.She felt her knees go weak and she grabbed the back of a chair to steady her. As soon as the feeling came, it was gone. Molly looked to Victoria and saw that she was focused on the specials written on the chalkboard. She hadn’t noticed. It was nothing, Molly thought. Just a silly head rush . But a sense of panic fluttered through her.
CHAPTER 4
T hrough the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Bay Towers’ penthouse restaurant, Heather could see the moonlight reflect off Boston Harbor. Large party boats, with lights strung across their railings, glided across the water. She leaned close to the windowpane to see the street thirty floors below, where a Clydesdale horse pulled a white carriage back to Quincy Market.
Crystal glasses clinking together brought Heather’s attention back to the party. The elegant room buzzed with the chatter of hundreds of people dressed in formal wear as businessmen networked over after-dinner drinks. A few couples waltzed in the center of the room.
No matter how many events Heather attended on Charlie’s arm, or how beautiful and expensive the clothing she wore, she never felt comfortable or that she belonged.
Heather had grown up
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