Page 30 of Chasing Sunsets

“Since your mother’s death, Karen. Say it. Since your mom died.”

She crossed her arms. “Go away.”

“She’d be upset with you,” he continued. “She’d hate the way you’ve shut out me and the boys.”

“I’ll sit on the back,” Zack offered, pulling Sadie’s attention from the other couple. He hopped on the backward-facing seat. “That way I’ll be downwind when you drive. I’ve never reeked worse than I do right now or smelled anything as awful. And we both know I’ve been in nasty locker rooms and around rank athletes.”

Sadie’s lips turned upward for an instant, and she got behind the steering wheel. “I hope there aren’t any stops.”

He laughed, soft and low. “You should.”

They went to pass the other couple.

“Hey, guys.” Matt waved. “Can you give Karen a ride?”

Sadie took her foot off the accelerator and stopped her cart beside Matt’s. “You’re welcome to ride with us, Karen.”

The woman immediately came toward them.

“I’ll ride with Matt.” Zack joined Matt, and they quickly took off.

Karen slid in beside Sadie. “Give them a head start. The fish smell on them is putrid.”

“To put it nicely,” Sadie agreed.

The men stopped at the exit.

“Why did they stop?” Karen asked.

“Zack would never leave two women in a parking lot at night. I’m sure they’re waiting for us to go ahead of them.”

“Sweet guy,” Karen said.

He is.

She cut a wide berth around them as she proceeded to the exit.

Karen kept her gaze facing forward, her face tight with tension. “How much did you hear of our argument?”

Sadie didn’t wish to become involved in anyone else’s problems, she truly didn’t. “Nothing.”

“You ever lost a parent?”

“No.”

“My mother died in a car accident a year ago. I didn’t do anything in my life without telling her. She was my best friend.”

“I’m sure you miss her.”

“More than anything. I never met my real father. He disappeared when she told him about her pregnancy. She was all I had. We only had each other.”

Sadie turned left, following theChasing Sunsetssigns.

“After a year you’d think the pain would lessen, but it feels like it happened yesterday. I still pick up the phone daily to call her. I find myself driving to her house to talk to her. Matt moved out and took the kids due to my neglect.” She cried the next words. “I don’t know how to live without her.”

“Have you seen someone for help? A clergyman or therapist?”

Karen sniffed. “No.”

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