I’m out with Lena. At Harry’s Bar.
Want company?
She smiled. Lena had encouraged her to make contact with a handsome man. Greg certainly counted as good-looking, even if he violated the spirit of what her friend had meant.
Sure.
By the time she and Lena were halfway through their drinks and laughing about potential road trip disasters, the hairs on the back of her neck began to prickle.
“What?” Lena asked, then glanced toward the door. “You didn’t.”
“He texted me first,” she said, knowing she sounded like a defensive teenager. “And you did tell me to talk to a man.”
“I didn’t. I asked what you would do if one wanted to buy you a drink. You’re impossible. You know that, right?” Lena stood and hugged Greg. “You two make me crazy.”
“Nice to see you, too,” he said, kissing her cheek. He pulled out an empty chair. “What are you two ladies having?” He looked at Lena’s strawberry daiquiri and her mojito, then grimaced. “Never mind.”
“A beer,” he told a passing waitress.
“You’re such a guy,” Rachel told him.
“I am what I am. So, who are we talking about?”
“What makes you think there’s a who?” Lena asked.
“Because there always is.”
Rachel was content to listen to the two of them chatting. She liked that her husband and best friend got along. They always had, just like she’d always liked Toby. The four of them had done a lot together. Their boys were friends. It had worked, until the divorce.
Funny how the feelings from Greg’s and Courtney’s secrets were so similar. A sense of betrayal, enough hurt that she didn’t have room inside to hold it all. The sense that everything was just plain wrong. The emotions had been stronger two years ago, but these new ones still hurt.
The three of them talked for a while. The server returned to ask about a second round. Lena shook her head.
“I’m done. You two go ahead.”
“What do you mean?” Rachel asked. “We’re hanging out.”
Lena raised her eyebrows. “Being with you two makes me want to go home and hang with Toby.” She held up a hand. “Don’t take that wrong. Greg will drive you home.”
“Yes, I will,” he said easily.
Rachel stood and hugged her friend. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Of course. Have fun.”
“That was strange,” Rachel said after Lena left. “I don’t know why she left.”
“Don’t you?”
Before she could answer, the server returned. “Have you decided if you want another round?”
“I’m game if you are,” Greg told her.
“Sure,” she said. “I’ll have another.”
“Great. Be right back.”
Greg leaned close. “So what’s going on? You have something on your mind. What is it?”
He’d always been able to read her, she thought. “It’s Courtney.” She told him about her sister and what she’d been doing.
“I don’t get it,” she admitted. “How could she not have told me?”
Greg shifted his chair closer and stared into her eyes. “It’s not your fault.”
“Her keeping secrets? I know that.”
“No. That she had trouble learning to read. That she got held back. That wasn’t you.”
Rachel slumped in her seat. “I know.”
“I’m not sure you do. You were a kid when your dad died. You did the best you could to hold everything together. You helped your mom. But you weren’t the adult. Courtney was born the way she was born. You didn’t make a learning disability happen. You weren’t responsible for her being held back.”
She nodded but was unable to completely believe him. “I was so hurt when I found out what she’d been doing,” she admitted. “I keep thinking she blames me for not doing well in school.”
“She doesn’t. You’re a good sister.”
“I hope so.” She sighed. “Let’s talk about something else.”
“Okay. I’d like to take Josh camping,” he said. “Are you good with that?”
“Sure. He’ll love it. Have you told him?”
“I wanted to talk to you first.”
“Thank you. I say have a great time.”
He grinned. “You want to come with us?”
“Not even for money.”
He chuckled. “I knew you’d say that.”
Their drinks arrived. They sat in the bar for nearly two more hours, talking about work and Josh and mutual friends. Around ten, Greg drove her home.
She’d been in his truck hundreds of times. She knew the route and how long the trip would take, and with each passing second, she found herself getting more and more nervous. Her mouth was dry, her hands trembled.