Sara looked to the left of the store. Gracie, Spencer’s girlfriend, waved from where she stood next to a tan Buick. She smiled and beckoned to Sara. Her legs froze along with the rest of her. When Sara just looked at her, too scared to move, Gracie’s smile fell from her face and she looked away. When she looked up again, determination was etched into her pretty features. She began to walk.
Cold seeped through her clothes as she waited, apprehensive. Gracie’s fiery hair haloed her pretty face, her eyes wide and fixated on Sara. Her stride was purposeful. She wore a green jacket the same shade as her eyes and jeans. Gracie stopped before Sara, searching her face for something. Sara fought the urge to look away.
“I’m not going to ask how you’re doing because I imagine you’re pretty miserable, and frankly, I would be too. I’m not going to give my condolences because I know you’re tired of hearing those from people. I’m not even going to judge you for your apparent lack of manners.” She swallowed; her hair fire around her face. “All I’m going to do is invite you to have a cup of coffee with me. Would you like to do that, Sara?”
Sara blinked, not sure what she’d been expecting to hear from Gracie. That had not been it. She didn’t know what to say. “I…”
“I’m your friend. Maybe not a close friend, maybe not a friend you’ve had all that long, but a friend just the same.”
Her chest tightened at the honest, earnest look on Gracie’s face. Gracie considered her a friend? Sara blew out a noisy breath. “Sure. Yes. That would be nice.”
Gracie smiled. “Great! I’ll drive.”
“I didn’t mean to be rude,” Sara told her as they walked.
“I know. I’d be a bitch on wheels in your position. I’d pretty much hate the world. Like I said, I don’t judge. I can’t imagine how you feel. I won’t even try.”
Sara got into the car, feeling awkward. It smelled like cinnamon and yellow Dollar General shopping bags littered the back.
“Timberlane okay?”
Sara nodded. The coffee shop had once been a bar that had been renovated into the character-filled establishment it was today. It had vaulted tin ceilings and an eclectic, but stylish collection of furniture. Its coffee was robust and full of flavor; much better than gas station coffee.
The drive from the store to the coffee shop was a short one, but even so, it seemed to drag. Sara didn’t know Gracie that well. She didn’t know what to say to her. Sara searched her brain for conversation starters and drew a blank. Luckily Gracie seemed to have an overflowing database of information to discuss.
“Spencer has this crazy camping idea for summer,” Gracie stated as she pulled the car into an empty parking spot.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. He wants to get everyone together. Lincoln, Mason, you, whoever else, and go to River of Lakes in Bagley for a week. Or maybe just a weekend. You still have your camper?”
“I call it Love Bug. Can you guess why?” His eyes twinkled at her.
Sara looked around the compact, but fairly new camper. The furniture, curtains, and carpet were cream and tan. It had a clean linen smell to it. “It’s full of bugs?”
“No. You and I are going to fill it with love.”
“So why the bug part? And why do you insist on naming everything?”
He grinned, his pale blue eyes flashing, darkening. “Like Tater and Tot?” He gave her chest a pointed look.
She crossed her arms, rolling her eyes. “Yeah. Like that.”
“They’re endearments. And bug and love rhyme. A little. Let’s break in the couch.”
“Let’s not.” Sara’s body warmed up, a pulse of need forming inside her, silently calling her a liar.
“Do you like it?” he asked, wrapping his arms around her so Sara’s back was flush with his hard chest. Her heart began to pound, her palms turned damp with want.
“I do. Let the camping adventures begin,” she said, her voice breathless.
“Soon enough. But first…” He spun her around, his lips finding hers, seducing and manipulating them. Desire bloomed in her, flooded through her body, and Sara was lost in it.
“Sara?”
She blinked and looked up. “What?”
Gracie stared at Sara, her brows drawn quizzically. “Where were you just now?”
Stuck in the past, like almost always. She wordlessly shook her head. “Nowhere.”
Gracie turned the key and the engine shut off. “So do you still have it?” At Sara’s confused look, she added, “The camper.”
Her chest tightened. “Yes. I still have it.” He’d surprised her with it one spring day, saying it would be their summer home away from home. They’d camped a lot with the 2008 Mallard. Sara thought if she entered the camper the remembrances would entangle her in their ‘never agains’ and keep her there forever.
“Awesome. That would be fun, I think.” Gracie opened the door and got out.
Sara couldn’t think of the upcoming summer, of months from the day she was currently on. It was hard to get past the present and have any desire to think of the future. She got out of the car and followed Gracie into the coffee shop, the strong scent of it teasing her senses as soon as the door opened. Gracie chattered as they placed their orders and continued when they took their seats at a small table along the wall.