Page 2 of Never Finished

I often complained I could never seem to move on from him. There was always the ghost of Jaime, and nobody could ever live up to it. My friends coined it the “Jaime Effect.” I would date a guy for a while, and everything would go great until I found a frivolous reason to break up with them. Caroline was the one who came up with the name, and when I questioned her about it, Abby backed her up and said, “She’s right. Nobody can live up to Jaime Acosta. I would love to meet this guy someday and find out if he actually lives up to the hype.”

They weren't wrong. Every time I got close to someone, I couldn't help but think of Jaime and what our lives would be like if I’d stood up to my father back then.

The waitress plopped an oversized plate with a half-pound burger and a generous helping of fries in front of me, then slid a fountain glass with my chocolate shake and a stripy straw across the table.

I resisted the urge to clap like a delighted child and thanked her before digging in. After my first bite, I was quietly moaning to myself when my phone buzzed.

It was a Zoom reminder, and I remembered it was Wednesday night. Caroline, Abby, and I had a standing appointment, so no matter how busy we were, we had a dedicated time to catch up. If one of us were traveling, we’d video conference, but if we were all in the city, we’d sip margaritas and munch on chips and salsa at one of our apartments, usually Abby's because she had the best view.

I grabbed earbuds from my purse and slipped them into my ears, so I wouldn’t disturb the other diners as I logged into the Zoom conference. Their familiar loving faces appeared on my small screen, and I beamed at them. Whatever I’d thought I’d missed out on being an only child growing up, Abby and Caroline filled the void. They were more than my best friends. They were my soul sisters, and I didn’t think I’d still be upright after my mom died if it weren’t for them.

“Did you think we were going to let you get away with not taking part in the usual meet?” Abby asked with a raised eyebrow.

I grinned. “Oh, I know that would never happen—I just forgot what day it was,” I admitted.

Caroline gasped dramatically and put a hand to her chest. “How dare you,” she said, fighting back a smile.

I shook my head. “I know, I know. It's just my head is all screwed up being back in this place.”

As Abby and Caroline both nodded in understanding from their respective screens, I realized they weren't together. “Wait. Where are you two?”

“Well, I’m in John's apartment,” Abby said.

Caroline and I glanced at one another, pasting on fake smiles. Abby had just started dating John, and he was all she talked about. He seemed nice enough, but both Caroline and I got a weird vibe from him we couldn't quite put a finger on. We were nervous for our friend because she was over the moon in love.

All we could do was caution her to go slow, but she wasn't hearing any of it. As far as she was concerned, Caroline was just a workaholic who wasn’t interested in any kind of relationship, and I was still madly in love with a boy I used to know.

“And as you can see,” Caroline said, cutting into my thoughts and changing the subject, “I am in the dungeon, otherwise known as work.”

“Do you ever leave there before nine?” I asked her in disbelief.

She rolled her eyes, shaking her head. “You’re one to talk. You're having to dance a jig for work every time I blink,” Caroline groused.

“There's a difference,” I said, swirling a fry through my puddle of ketchup. “I have the joy of working for my father, which means there are complex family dynamics and dysfunction at play here. You just work for a corporation that mercilessly sucks you dry every chance it gets.”

Caroline laughed. “I think that's just the way work is for everyone,” she pointed out.

“Not me,” Abby said.

Caroline and I both shared an eye roll as Caroline spit out, “Yes, well, when you’re your own boss, it's a little different, isn't it? I'm sure even you find your boss irritating sometimes—I sure do,” she smirked.

Abby rolled her eyes. “You can abuse me all you want. I'm just saying if something bothers you that much, it's up to you to change it.”

“She's not wrong, Lina,” I admitted to Caroline.

Caroline shook her head. “Whatever, save the spiel for another day. We need to check in on Miss Emma here. She's the one who is several states away doing her father's bidding … again. How’s it going out there?”

Tears prick the back of my eyes. It wasn’t like I hadn't been feeling the urge to cry since I stepped off the airplane and onto Colorado soil for the first time in over two years. But having my best friends looking at me so concerned made everything rise to the surface.

“Oh, hey, we're not trying to upset you,” Caroline insisted.

I shook my head, trying to stave off the tears. “No, it's not that. I just really miss her. And I can feel her everywhere. I’m so embarrassed I can barely handle being here without her. And I’m not even in Silverpine.”

My friends nodded sympathetically. Caroline already had to go through the pain of losing her father, so she knew better than most. And Abby was one of the most empathetic people I knew. Plus, they both got to know Lydia Carter themselves, and they loved her, too. It was impossible not to be crazy about my mom.

“Well, on the bright side, you’ll be back in LA by this time tomorrow. And we'll take you out for a proper dinner,” Abby said, having caught sight of the plate in front of me.

“I will have you know this is fine Colorado fare. Nowhere near as good as Mabel's, but I'm enjoying it.”

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