Page 36 of A Tinsel Tale

“Nothing.”

“Evie, this is me you’re talking to. Go ahead, you can say anything. I don’t mind.”

Frowning, she bites her luscious lower lip. “Well, to be honest I was thinking about your career and how much you loved football. It was your dream since you were a little kid.” Her hand presses to her chest. “I guess I’m wondering how it is that you’re not bitter. You seem so happy… well-adjusted.”

I snort out a laugh. “It took a few years. I was pissed at the world for a while. Poor me, why did this happen to me? What did I ever do to deserve this yada yada.” I look over at her; she’s listening attentively. “Your dad helped me a lot.”

“He did?”

“Yeah. He saved my ass.”

“I wouldn’t know.” She wrinkles her nose. “Mom and Dad were forbidden from mentioning your name to me. But you know they’ve always loved you.”

I lift one shoulder. “I don’t know why. I don’t blame you for hating me, Evie. I fucked up everything.”

“Pretty much,” she says.

I wince. “Ouch.”

“You broke up the day before I left for college! What can I say? I was shocked. I wanted to die. I was so in love with you. We had our lives planned out together. I felt like I died that day.”

“I know, I know. It’s hard to explain what depression does to a person. I was in a dark place and for a while I couldn’t find my way out. One minute I’m a star athlete and in the blink of an eye I can’t even walk without crutches. Just like that, every plan I’d made went up in smoke. Fire reference… did you catch that?” I joke to lighten the conversation.

“I wanted to help, and you pushed me away. You wouldn’t talk to me about it, you withdrew. I felt helpless,” she says.

I grab her hand and hold it. “I know Evie. I’m so sorry.” I pull into the lot of the Cozy Diner and park. “This okay? Not that glam but you always loved their burgers. They haven’t changed.”

“It’s perfect.” Her phone pings and she looks at the incoming text. Scowling she stuffs it back into her pocket.

“Everything alright?” I ask. She nods. I get out and walk around to open her door. I take her hand and help her out. She looks so cute in her knit beanie with the pompom. I want to kiss every one of her freckles, especially the one at the corner of her upper lip. I realize I’m staring, and clear my throat. “You look great. I think Michigan suits you much more than Chicago. Just sayin’.”

Her smile lights up her face. “I didn’t realize how stressed out I was until I got away from it all.”

“Hard to see the forest for the trees, for sure.”

We walk into the brightly lit diner and grab a corner booth with the hope of some privacy. The server approaches and I grit my teeth. Suzy Jameson. She sets two clear hard plastic cups with crushed ice and water in front of us. “Hey Jamie,” she says flirtatiously before glancing over at Evie and gasping. “Evie Parker? As I live and breathe.”

“Hi, Suzy,” Evie says coolly.

“OMG! I feel like I should get an autograph or something. I saw you onDatelineand I said to my husband, I know her. I went to school with her.”

Evie smiles uncomfortably. I know for a fact that Suzy and the head cheerleader Natalie Clark, were the mean girls in high school. Natalie used to give Evie a hard time because she had set her sights on me and refused to take no for an answer.

Suzy continues, “I told him no surprise, you were always such a brain.”

I interrupt to say, “When did you start working here, Suzy?”

“About a month ago. Brad got laid off so I’m working part time for now. So, you two are back together after all these years? Wait until Natalie hears this.”

“I think we need a minute to look over the menu,” I say pointedly.

She cackles. “My bad. MYOB, right? Study away. I’ll be back in a jiffy.”

I frown as she walks away. “If I’d known she was working here we’d have gone somewhere else. Sorry.”

Evie shudders. “Flashbacks.”

“What can I say? Gotta take the bad with the good in a small town.”

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