Page 5 of When Sky Breaks

Damn, Phoebs.

“How’s everything coming along?” I ask, fanning my mouth.

Both she and Graham are fresh-faced graduates on track to be lawyers, putting in hours that go beyond your normal nine-to-five between their jobs at a firm and law school. Their ambitions are similar, thus making them the perfect match. Graham, with his easy-going attitude, is the right amount of chill to Phoebe’s flair for dramatics.

She launches into the details she’s allowed to talk about, and after I’ve learned absolutely nothing about corporate law that would make sense, Graham rises and takes our empty bowls and spoons to the sink. Phoebe clears the table of crumbs and throws away our napkins as I pack away the leftovers for lunches.

Pouring a glass of wine, I take it to the living room where all three of us relax around the wooden coffee table, me in the plush chair and the lovebirds on the sofa, Phoebe’s bare legs in Graham’s lap.

My phone buzzes across the table, and I lean in to see the text.

“Who’s that? Let me guess. Dr. Hottie Hawk?” Phoebe grins behind her glass.

I snatch my phone and roll my eyes. “Maybe.”

It’s actually Lenore. However, she was asking about the man in question and how our trip went.

Phoebe kicks her feet in the air. “Girl, what’s he saying?”

Graham scoffs. “Dr. Hottie Hawk? I thought it was Dr. Snotty Johnny?”

She whacks him in the arm. “Shush. You misunderstood. Sky’s dating the most eligible bachelor at Mercy North. He might be a know-it-all, but he’s not stuck up.”

That’s debatable. Perhaps being as smart as he is, trying to treat cancer earns him a pass. And to be fair, it really could’ve been a hair in my fish tacos at the restaurant we ate at instead of just wilted lettuce.

“Isn’t there some rules about that?” Graham asks, running his hand up and down one of Phoebe’s bare legs.

“It’s casual, and we don’t even work in the same department.”

“Just casual? You went on vacation with him. That’s more like on the way to love,” Phoebe says.

It was my turn to scoff into my wineglass.

Love? I abandoned the notion a long time ago.

To some, it might look like that, but everything about Johnny screams spontaneity. With hardly any notice about that trip, I was lucky my schedule allowed the four-day excursion.

“Sky, don’t mess this one up.”

I freeze at her insinuation. Then I remember Phoebe doesn’t know the whole truth. She thinks I’m being picky when I’m really safeguarding my tender heart.

Graham pinches Phoebe in the calf. She squeals and shrugs. “What? You don’t know her like I do. She needs the push.”

Annoyed, I narrow my eyes. “Hello, I’m sitting right here.”

She bobs her head. “Damn straight you are. Instead of hanging out with that hot piece, you’re here with us. Like, what are you doing, sis? It’s been five years. Get on that horse already before he finds a different rider.”

Graham murmurs, “It’s none of our business, Bee.”

Bless him. At least he knows when to leave something alone.

I purse my lips and stare down into my empty glass. Not even the warmth from the wine melts the ice around my heart. It has been a long time. Long enough to know life moves on, and so should I. There’s a man willing to make time for me. Perhaps it’s a chance to make room for him.

“It’s a simple, sad story, Graham Cracker, so don’t go breaking that smart brain of yours trying to read deep into it.” I lift my fingers to count off. “Boy and girl meet. Fall in love. Boy leaves girl. The end.”

Rather concise, but I haven’t had enough wine to spill all my guts.

“Not the end,” Phoebe says, her black curls brushing her shoulder. “It’s the beginning for something else. Just see where this thing goes with Johnny. He may be a little crazy sometimes, but you’ve been able to handle me and my neuroses for years, so he should be no problem.”

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