Page 17 of Meant to Be
Chapter Five
Sydney’s emotionswere in a tug-of-war as she sped away from Mitch. On one end was anger. On the other end was profound grief. Standing so close to him, feeling his warmth, inhaling his scent, the memory yarn in her hormones fired up the love and desire that had filled their once seemingly perfect relationship. It was clear now: there was no possibility of getting it back. And she feared she’d never find a love so pure with anyone else. Not that she believed in fairy tales, but what she’d had with Mitch was as near perfect as she imagined possible. He’d been patient with her shyness, yet pushed her to stretch herself. He’d made her laugh and helped her find perspective when faced with overwhelming challenges. He’d look at her with such love in his gorgeous green eyes, making her feel as if she was the most beautiful woman in the world. No one had ever made her feel as safe and confident to be herself as he had. And, oh, how she’d loved him. Just thinking about it made her heart ache.
As her car neared civilization again, she remembered Julia’s visit and her promise of moonshine. She poked the button on her steering wheel to activate voice command and asked for the nearest ABC location, the only stores allowed to sell hard alcohol in Virginia. Fortunately, one was directly along her route. She was surprised to find many different brands and flavors of moonshine. She selected a basic 90 proof, which the store clerk said was the closest to the moonshine made in the back hills of Virginia. She paid and headed home.
She was barely in her apartment when she heard a knock. For a brief, unguarded moment, her heart leapt with hope that it was Mitch. She shook her head of that thought and opened the door.
“Hey there, sister from another mister! I brought you a gift.” Julia reached to her side and pulled a man into the door with her.
“Patrick.” It took Sydney a moment to register that he was there. Her two best friends just when she needed them. Relief and gratitude washed through her.
“You got us both, baby.” Julia stepped into the apartment, wrapping her arms around Sydney in an enthusiastic hug. “The three musketeers back together again.”
“I hope it’s alright that I came.” Patrick kissed Sydney’s cheek.
“Of course it’s alright. She needs us. Patrick here has some sort of psycho babble, mumbo jumbo conference in Washington, D.C., right up the road.”
It was a little farther than up the road, but still much closer than New York. It wasn’t a correction that needed to be made, especially to Julia, so Sydney ignored it.
“I’m glad you both came.” Sydney shut the door, and then put an arm around each of her friends to lead them into her cozy apartment.
“I can stay at a hotel—”
“No. Julia will sleep with me and you can have the guest room.”
“See, like old times.” Julia grinned at both of them.
“And look what I picked up.” Sydney released them and picked up the bag she’d set on her door-side table when she’d heard their knock. She pulled the bottle from the bag. “Real, honest to goodness moonshine.”
“Cool.” Julia took the bottle. “But doesn’t real moonshine come in unlabeled mason jars bought in clandestine backrooms?”
“Not anymore.”
“Prohibition ended a few years ago.” Patrick took the bottle. “Looks potent.”
“Let’s have some.” Julia grabbed the bottle back and headed toward Sydney’s kitchen. “Then tell us about your meeting with Mitch the bitch.”
Sydney winced. Mitch was being a jerk, but she had a hard time listening to someone else, even her best friend, bad-mouth him.
She followed Julia into the kitchen, taking possession of the bottle and pouring drinks.
“Wow. I think I’ve burned my esophagus.” Julia held up the glass of moonshine, studying the clear liquid.
“Oh.” Sydney choked as the liquid seared its way down her throat. “You’re not kidding.”
Even Patrick’s dark eyes watered a bit at the potent liquid.
“Maybe we should add something to it? I’ve got juice.” Sydney diluted the moonshine with cranberry juice, and then they all sat in her living area, as she told them about her first encounter with Mitch and the events of the evening.
“A long time to hold a grudge.” Julia reached for Sydney’s hand.
“Or he never got over you.” Patrick said the words nonchalantly, but there was something about the way he followed the statement with a large swallow of the potent moonshine that made her wonder if he was jealous.
“Oh. Could that be it?” Julia’s brows knitted together.
“I doubt it.”
“What if it was? Would you get back with him?”
