expressed, Kelsey thought. Hannah would have scowled at Sadie’s word choice. Kelsey sighed. She’d been carefully avoiding Sadie for months, but it wasn’t about Sadie at all. She didn’t want to think about Hannah.
“Nice blouse. You look great—as always.” Sadie flashed her perfect smile. She’d been a sorority girl through college and hadn’t managed to lose the sugary sweet tone. “What are you up to downtown?”
“Lunch meeting with a new client,” Kelsey answered. She nearly added who the client was but doubted that Joy Henderson would care if Sadie Padgett were impressed.
“You’ve got a new job?”
“Software sales.”
“Sales? Really?” Sadie’s tone left nothing to the imagination. She was clearly unimpressed. “Well, I think that’s perfect. I mean, it’s not coaching but…” She paused, clearly searching for a way to make the software sales job fit Kelsey. “You’re always so upbeat. I bet your clients love you. You’re giving up on coaching then?” She continued without waiting for an answer, “I know Hannah will want to see you. She talks about you all the time. Did you hear she finally had to move out of the houseboat? She’s been living with my parents for the past month. Can you believe having to move back in with your folks at thirty-three?” Sadie shook her head. “I guess it’s the least of her issues though.”
Kelsey smiled. “I live with my mom. And I’m thirty-six.”
“Oh.” She opened and closed her mouth twice before finally adding, “Well, that’s nice of you to be keeping her company. I’m sure she’s been lonely.”
“Not really. She has a lot of friends.”
“I wish I could say the same.” Sadie hesitated as if rethinking what she’d said. She added, “Well, of course I have friends. But no time to see them. Life’s so busy, you know.”
“Of course.” Sadie had never held a job. Neither had Hannah. Kelsey didn’t want to ask what was keeping her busy.
“We should have lunch sometime and catch up.”
Kelsey forced a smile. “Yeah, sure.”
“It’s just nice seeing you without all of Hannah’s drama. Have you bumped into anyone else from the old crew lately?”
Kelsey thought of Andrew and Tamara, but then she shook her head. The truth was, she hadn’t wanted to see any of her old friends since she’d moved home. And she didn’t want to talk about them now. She hadn’t thought of anyone from high school except Joy—though she knew Joy didn’t consider her an old friend.
“How’s Nate?” Sadie bit her lower lip as if she’d regretted letting the question slip out.
“Fine. I think he’s fine, anyway. I haven’t heard from him in a while. He’s living in Mexico—on a beach in Baja.” Nate had moved out of Raceda a week before Kelsey had moved home. He’d left his motorcycle and most of his belongings to head south in a friend’s RV. His plan had been to stay in the desert for a long weekend but then he’d hooked up with another friend and left for Baja. Nate called a few times—mostly to make sure no one had sold his bike. He was working odd jobs and surfing every day. Kelsey didn’t expect he’d be back in Raceda before she was ready to move out. “He’s a surf bum.”
“Mexico, huh? Not surprising, I guess.” Sadie sighed. She ran her hands through her hair—still platinum blonde but longer than Hannah wore hers.
Kelsey spotted Sadie’s ring. The oversized diamond looked gaudy on her small hands. “Some people never change. I don’t think Nate has any intention of growing up.”
“You’re probably right. Why is it that normal people like us fall for people who are too irresponsible to remember to renew their driver’s license or hold down a grown-up job?”
Kelsey wondered if Sadie was referencing Nate or Hannah. Hannah. She hadn’t seen her at all since their last day together on the boat. She’d finally reached the point where days would pass without thinking of her. But then something
“Nice blouse. You look great—as always.” Sadie flashed her perfect smile. She’d been a sorority girl through college and hadn’t managed to lose the sugary sweet tone. “What are you up to downtown?”
“Lunch meeting with a new client,” Kelsey answered. She nearly added who the client was but doubted that Joy Henderson would care if Sadie Padgett were impressed.
“You’ve got a new job?”
“Software sales.”
“Sales? Really?” Sadie’s tone left nothing to the imagination. She was clearly unimpressed. “Well, I think that’s perfect. I mean, it’s not coaching but…” She paused, clearly searching for a way to make the software sales job fit Kelsey. “You’re always so upbeat. I bet your clients love you. You’re giving up on coaching then?” She continued without waiting for an answer, “I know Hannah will want to see you. She talks about you all the time. Did you hear she finally had to move out of the houseboat? She’s been living with my parents for the past month. Can you believe having to move back in with your folks at thirty-three?” Sadie shook her head. “I guess it’s the least of her issues though.”
Kelsey smiled. “I live with my mom. And I’m thirty-six.”
“Oh.” She opened and closed her mouth twice before finally adding, “Well, that’s nice of you to be keeping her company. I’m sure she’s been lonely.”
“Not really. She has a lot of friends.”
“I wish I could say the same.” Sadie hesitated as if rethinking what she’d said. She added, “Well, of course I have friends. But no time to see them. Life’s so busy, you know.”
“Of course.” Sadie had never held a job. Neither had Hannah. Kelsey didn’t want to ask what was keeping her busy.
“We should have lunch sometime and catch up.”
Kelsey forced a smile. “Yeah, sure.”
“It’s just nice seeing you without all of Hannah’s drama. Have you bumped into anyone else from the old crew lately?”
Kelsey thought of Andrew and Tamara, but then she shook her head. The truth was, she hadn’t wanted to see any of her old friends since she’d moved home. And she didn’t want to talk about them now. She hadn’t thought of anyone from high school except Joy—though she knew Joy didn’t consider her an old friend.
“How’s Nate?” Sadie bit her lower lip as if she’d regretted letting the question slip out.
“Fine. I think he’s fine, anyway. I haven’t heard from him in a while. He’s living in Mexico—on a beach in Baja.” Nate had moved out of Raceda a week before Kelsey had moved home. He’d left his motorcycle and most of his belongings to head south in a friend’s RV. His plan had been to stay in the desert for a long weekend but then he’d hooked up with another friend and left for Baja. Nate called a few times—mostly to make sure no one had sold his bike. He was working odd jobs and surfing every day. Kelsey didn’t expect he’d be back in Raceda before she was ready to move out. “He’s a surf bum.”
“Mexico, huh? Not surprising, I guess.” Sadie sighed. She ran her hands through her hair—still platinum blonde but longer than Hannah wore hers.
Kelsey spotted Sadie’s ring. The oversized diamond looked gaudy on her small hands. “Some people never change. I don’t think Nate has any intention of growing up.”
“You’re probably right. Why is it that normal people like us fall for people who are too irresponsible to remember to renew their driver’s license or hold down a grown-up job?”
Kelsey wondered if Sadie was referencing Nate or Hannah. Hannah. She hadn’t seen her at all since their last day together on the boat. She’d finally reached the point where days would pass without thinking of her. But then something
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