Page 9 of Secrets on Sapphire

Old Fashioned

It had been about a month since Edie moved onto Sapphire Court. She knew why she had moved there and what she had to do. Her brother was in jail and he was slowly growing mad. He was alone and scared and had lost his wife. Calista was gone and everyone thought Tim had something to do with it. Edie knew there was no way there was any truth to the rumors and that her brother had been wrongfully charged. They didn’t even have a body.

Edie was never a huge fan of her sister-in-law. Calista was loud and outgoing and she made Edie laugh, but it was all surface. She provided Edie with her nephews and her brother loved her more than anything and that was the only reason Edie put up with her. She knew how Calista was, how she easily grew bored and lonely. She knew of the extracurricular activities and she figured her brother did as well, but he loved her anyway, so Edie tried her best to love Calista too.

Edie was lost in her thoughts when she accidentally ran into someone with her grocery cart. The man dropped the few items he had in his hands and almost fell to his knees. He caught himself by grabbing onto the shelf in front of him.

“Oh my gosh! I am so sorry. I didn’t even see you there.” Edie left her empty cart and began picking up the items she caused the man to drop. When she stood up with the boxes and cans in hand she almost dropped them again. She recognized the black and gray haired, blue eyed man. “Tucker?”

“Uh . . . yes? Do I know you?”

“Edie! Edie Daniels.” She still saw the confusion on his face. “I went to the university with you. You and Grace! How is she by the way? I heard you guys got married and had two kids. They’ve got to be pretty grown by now.” Edie began handing Tucker the items he had dropped.

“I think you must have me confused with someone else.” Tucker smiled that flashy smile that usually distracted women from their thoughts.

“No. I think I would recognize those blues anywhere.” The distraction was not working on Edie. She turned around to pick up a can of soup that had rolled past her. “So how is Grace? Is she still the starving artist she always wanted to be?” When Edie turned back around, she realized she was talking to herself. Tucker was gone. She looked around her and the gorgeous man was nowhere to be found.

“That was weird.” Edie mumbled to herself. She shrugged her shoulders, placed the can on the shelf in front of her, and pulled out her grocery list to begin shopping. She was going to treat herself and make steak. She had been staring at the meat for what seemed like forever when she heard her name being yelled from across the store.

“Edie! Edie!”

She didn’t recognize the sweet southern twang calling her name, but as soon as she saw the petite redhead the voice was coming out of, she rolled her eyes. It was Parker Lewis. She had just moved into the neighborhood as well. Edie had never met her formally, but had seen Parker jogging in the neighborhood multiple times while she read her books on the front porch. They always waved, but that was the extent of their relationship. Not even having talked to her, Parker reminded Edie of Calista. The way she carried herself was almost exact.

“It is Edie right?” Parker caught her breath when she finally made it to where Edie was standing. “’Cause if it’s not, then I’m gonna look like a crazy woman. Look, if your name isn’t Edie, just go along with it, would ya Sweetie?”

“It’s Edie. Parker is it?” Edie stuck her hand out and Parker shook it excitedly.

“It is!” Parker smiled and Edie immediately thought of her lost sister-in-law. “Find any good meat?” Parker threw her head back and her body shook with laughter. Edie again was reminded of Calista.

“Well, all of these are just too big for one person.” Edie couldn’t help but giggle at her own response. “Not to be rude Parker, but did you want something?”

“Actually, I did! Just why were you not at the last Triple B meeting? The girls said they invited you.”

“They did. I just had some things I needed to do. I had just moved in and I was getting settled in. I’ll be at the next meeting for sure.”

“Good! You already made me suffer being the new girl alone once. Not again!”

“I won’t leave you hanging again, I promise.” Edie gave the woman a soft smile.

“One more thing, Brielle is hosting her annual Halloween dinner party next week and she told me to give you this if I ran into you.” Parker reached into her purse and pulled out a bright orange envelope.

“I have no clue what I’m going to dress up as.” Parker looked up, lost in thought. “Maybe a hot cheerleader?”

Edie shrugged her shoulders and placed the envelope Parker had handed her into her own purse.

“Anyway . . . I saw you talking to that hot piece of ass earlier.” Parker raised her eyebrows and nudged Edie’s elbow.

“Who?”

“Mr. Blue-eyed Pretty Boy himself.”

“Oh. Tucker. Yeah, that was weird. He’s married isn’t he?”

“So what? A girl can’t look? That man is hot.”

“So he is married then?” Edie asked.

“Oh. You were really asking? Yes, unfortunately he is already claimed for. Brielle actually.”

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