Chapter Thirteen

Melting ice cream. Wet and sticky, running down her fingers…Caroline woke with a start and blinked at the bedside clock. Six a.m. She groaned and started to turn over, when she realized the wet sticky feeling was actually Megan’s new dog, Honey, the one her mom and sister had adopted from the shelter on July fifth. Honey licked Caroline’s fingers again, so Caroline reached down and patted the dog on the head. “Do you need to go out?” she whispered. She glanced over at Allie’s bed, but Allie wasn’t in it. In fact, it didn’t look like the bed had been slept in at all. Caroline climbed out of bed, picked up the dog, and carried her into Megan’s bedroom.

“Psst, Megs,” Caroline whispered next to her ear. “You have to take the dog out.”

Megan pulled the pillow over her ears, moaned, and rolled over to the wall. Caroline tapped Megan’s shoulder, but she didn’t move, and now the dog was getting wiggly. She sighed and tiptoed down the hall, her sister’s new dog—the one Megan swore she’d take responsibility for—in her arms. She checked to see if Allie was in the bathroom, but the door was open and the light was off. Caroline wondered where Allie was as she crept past her mother’s room and headed through the house. But in the family room, there was Allie asleep on the sofa, the TV still on but muted, her cell phone clutched in her hand. Caroline set the dog down, tried to shush the exuberant animal, found the remote under the coffee table, and turned off the television.

“Huh?” Allie mumbled.

“What are you doing out here?” Caroline asked.

“Sleeping,” Allie growled.

Caroline knew without asking that Allie was waiting for a phone call from Mark, but she decided not to mention it. “Go back to sleep.”

“I thought that was Megan’s dog.” Allie punched the throw pillow and closed her eyes again.

Caroline scrutinized Allie while keeping a close eye on Honey. “Supposed to be, but she was in our room, and I couldn’t get Megan up to let her out.”

Just then the dog sniffed a likely spot near the leg of the coffee table, but before Caroline could get to her, Megan swooped into the room, snatched the dog up right before she squatted on the carpet, and hurried to the backyard with her. “I told you I’d take care of her, Caroline!” Megan called as she let the screen door slam.

Caroline lifted an eyebrow and started to go back to her room, but now she was fully awake. She had to go to work in a few hours anyway, so she went to the kitchen to make coffee. Allie wasn’t asleep, either, despite pretending to be.

Megan and Honey padded back through the family room. “Sorry I snapped at you, Car,” Megan said. Honey trotted happily alongside as Megan went back to her bedroom.

“Allie,” Caroline said, “why don’t you go get into bed? You aren’t going to get any sleep out here.”

Allie nodded, stood up with a stretch, checked her phone for messages, and exclaimed, “Yes! Finally!”

Caroline pushed Brew on the coffee pot and poked her head into the living room. “Mark? What’s he say?”

“‘Sorry missed 4th—in Chicago for job interview.’ What the…?” Allie mumbled.

Caroline didn’t buy it. Who goes for any kind of interview on a national holiday? “Wasn’t a Chicago job interview something he would have mentioned?”

Allie rubbed her eyes and looked again. “I need to sleep on this.” She stumbled down the hallway.

Caroline wondered why the guy didn’t just end their relationship. Or had he?

****

Caroline was scrolling through the email messages that had piled up at work over the holiday when she saw one from the advertising firm where she had interviewed last week. The idea of a new position was exciting, but she dreaded the thought of having to leave Meadows Advertising. While she was hesitating, she heard her cell phone ping with a text.

—Thar she blows!—

Caroline smiled at Lucy’s humor, but when she looked up and saw Misty barreling down the hall, she wasn’t amused anymore.

Misty stopped just inches from Caroline’s desk, her arms folded, puffing from exertion. “Caroline, I have to speak to Richard!”

When have you ever asked my permission? is what Caroline would have liked to say, but what she did say was, “I think he’s on the phone.”

“I don’t care.” Misty threw open Richard’s door and marched in. She stood just inside the doorway tapping her foot impatiently.

Richard looked up, finished his phone conversation with what Caroline thought was a deliberately slow pace, scribbled a few notes on a legal pad next to the desk phone, and finally turned to his fiancée. “Good morning, Misty.”

Misty stomped her foot like a petulant child. “I have nothing to wear!”

Richard’s mouth dropped open. “You came all the way over here to tell me that?” He turned back to his computer and resumed working. “So I guess you’re going shopping.”

“You don’t understand, Richard. I’m so frustrated! I’ve been to three malls and all over downtown Indianapolis, but this city doesn’t have enough upscale stores. I can’t find anything, and I desperately need new clothes for all the pre-wedding parties and our honeymoon!”

Caroline felt sick when Misty mentioned the upcoming nuptials, not to mention the honeymoon, but if she felt bad, she saw Richard visibly cringe.

“So do you want me to come with you?” he offered.

“Of course not. You’d just be in the way. I came to tell you I’m going to Chicago for a few days. At least I know I can find decent fashion choices there! I’m leaving this afternoon.”

Richard opened his mouth, closed it, shook his head and said, “Have a nice…”

But Misty didn’t even let him finish before she flew out, leaving Caroline dumbfounded. “What was that all about?” she asked after Misty was gone.

Richard shrugged. “Just Misty being Misty.” He picked up the desk phone and dialed out.

Caroline admired his patience with her, but she knew something was up. Misty could go to Chicago and be back in day if that’s what she wanted to do. The thing Caroline couldn’t figure out was why Misty wanted to marry Richard at all, since she never wanted to spend time with him. She was certain Misty had some kind of hidden agenda and obviously Richard couldn’t see that, but Caroline had promised herself to stay out of it.

She sat back down at her computer, and with trepidation, opened the email.

Dear Ms. Benedict,

After our meeting the other day, I reviewed your impressive résumé and I’m pleased to offer you a position at Charing Cross Marketing as a copy editor. The salary would be the top dollar we discussed, which includes full medical benefits and an opportunity at a later date to buy into our 401K program. We’d like to have a response from you by early next week.

Sincerely,

Margaret Smithson

Human Resources Manager

Caroline sighed. She couldn’t afford to turn down such a great offer. She gathered her courage and tapped on Richard’s still-open door. He looked up from his computer and smiled at her.

“Richard, I’ve had a job offer.”

The smile melted from his face. “Did you accept it yet?” She shook her head no. “If you can hold off a few days, I need some time to…”

Caroline waited for him to finish that sentence, but he leaned back in his chair and tapped his forefingers together, lost in thought. She sighed. “They said they want to hear from me by the first of next week.”

What if Richard made her a counter-offer? He couldn’t match the offer she’d just gotten, and her rational side questioned the wisdom of continuing to work at Meadows Advertising when she had such deep feelings for him. And such a dislike for his soon-to-be wife. Caroline didn’t have an answer for that dilemma. It was already past one p.m. so she decided to take a late lunch away from the office, think it through, and hopefully get some perspective.

When she returned she saw an email from her sister. Caroline rolled her eyes as she opened it. More Mark drama, she assumed.

Hey Car!

Remember I wanted to go to Chicago to spend time with Brittany? Can you drive me up there this weekend?

Caroline didn’t think for a minute this sudden desire to go to Chicago had anything to do with Brittany.

What about Brandon and your promise to practice every day?

Caroline hit send.

Allie replied within minutes.

Poor Brandon, he’s been so patient. I’ll send him a thank-you note, but I really need to go to Illinois. I already told Brittany we were coming, and she’s alerted Emily and Sara. Please? I’m desperate!

Caroline suspected Allie was planning to fix her relationship with Mark while she was in Chicago, which was probably not going to work. But Caroline had her own reason for wanting to get out of town for a couple of days, so she replied:

It’s weird, because there are a lot of desperate people off to Chicago for the weekend. I’ll explain later. Yes, I can drive you up on Friday, but you owe me.