Page 27 of Shifting Sands

“I bet he is,” Erin murmurs.

“Are you going to see him again?” Jena asks.

“I don’t know. He called me this morning and asked if I’d be around next week, but—”

“Wait, he called you this morning?” Erin responds, looking confused.

“Yeah, I kicked him out in a hurry. I told him it was because of you two but the truth is I didn’t want Sabel to see him leaving and tell Aunt Ida that I had some stranger in her bed just days after she left. But he wouldn’t go until I gave him my number. So, I did, and he literally called me from the driveway. I barely had the door shut before my phone started ringing.”

“Hmm, interesting,” Erin says as she sips her coffee.

“What?”

She shrugs. “Just sounds like he enjoyed himself and might want round two.”

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. I’m not here long, and I have the cats to look after,” I say.

“The cats? Seriously? Those little furballs are pretty much self-sufficient,” she scoffs.

“Not true. You have to feed and water them and clean their litter box,” I explain.

Both of them glare at me.

“Okay, fine. Maybe I just don’t want to waste his time. I’m only here for a few months.”

“Exactly! It’s the perfect amount of time for a jolly ol’ romp,” Erin states.

“See? It’s fun to say, isn’t it?” Jena says, playfully elbowing Erin in the side.

“It is,” she agrees.

“I’m gonna miss you guys when you leave,” I say.

“You’ll be home before you know it. Just look at your time here as an adventure. Enjoy it,” Erin encourages.

“I will.”

“And you’d better keep us in the loop with the sexy bartender,” Jena says.

Avie and Leia are walking down the sidewalk with a tall brunette when the little girl spots us and runs up the steps to our table.

“Hi, guys,” Avie calls as she and her friend follow.

“Good morning,” I say.

“Brandee, Erin, and Jena, this is my friend Eden. She’s Leia’s dance instructor. They just finished class, and we were coming to grab coffee,” Avie introduces us, then looks at Eden. “Brandee is Ida Mae’s niece. She’s staying at her house while she’s out of town.”

“And we’re friends from back home who came to visit for the weekend,” Erin says.

“It’s nice to meet you all.”

They leave Leia with us while they go inside to order, and she gives us a little tap dance demonstration.

“Not bad, kiddo,” Jena praises.

“My ballet is much better. You’ll have to come watch my Christmas recital,” Leia tells her.

“When is it?” Jena asks.

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