Page 129 of Beach Vibes

He frowned. “She is. Are you a friend?”

“I know her boyfriend and his sister.” Jana kept her body language open, her expression relaxed. She didn’t want to comeacross as scary or make anyone think she was going to be a problem.

“Okay. Let me see if she’s available. You’re Jenny?”

“Jana.”

“Oh, right.” He pointed to the waiting area. “Have a seat.”

Jana did as he’d requested. About two minutes later, he was back at his station.

“She’ll be right out.”

“Thank you.”

Suddenly, what had seemed to make sense when she was safely in her car had her doubting herself and her stomach writhing. None of this was her business, she thought. She wasn’t responsible for Galaxy or her relationship with Rick. Only before she could leave, a tall, stunning redhead in dark green scrubs walked into the reception area. The guy at the desk pointed at Jana.

“I’m Galaxy,” the green-eyed beauty said, sounding confused. “Can I help you?”

Jana rose. “Is there somewhere we can talk?”

Galaxy led her into one of the treatment rooms. She shut the door and faced her. “What’s going on?”

Jana swallowed against nerves and ignored the need to run for her car. She cleared her throat and then offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

“My name is Jana. I’m friends with Beth and I, ah, know Rick.” She paused, searching for a way to make herself believable. “What Beth can do with a sandwich is practically an art form.”

Galaxy relaxed a little. “She’s very talented.”

“I work in medical billing. Rick’s surgical practice is in that building, too.”

“Yes, he has two locations. Look, I have to get back to work. Can you get to the point?”

Oh, God. Jana sucked in a breath. “Three months ago, he asked me out, and I said yes. We were dating until about four weeks ago.” She pulled her phoneout of her bag and unlocked her photographs. “That weekend you went out of town, he and I went away.”

Galaxy took a step back, then another. Her eyes were big, her skin pale. She started shaking her head. “No. You’re lying. I don’t know what sick game this is, but no. He’s not dating you. I see him all the time. We’ve been together ten months. We’re in love.”

Jana showed her the phone with the selfie of her and Rick out by the hotel room’s fire pit. She scrolled through several more.

“I didn’t know,” Jana told her flatly. “I don’t date men involved with other women. He lied about everything.”

Galaxy stared at the phone. She continued to shake her head. “It can’t be true. He loves me.”

Jana thought about saying she didn’t think Rick was capable of loving anyone, then decided there was no point in that. Galaxy wouldn’t believe her.

“I know how I felt when I found out the truth,” she said instead. “I thought you’d want to know what had happened. If you didn’t, then I’m sorry.”

She put her phone in her bag, stepped around Galaxy and left.

26

Beth shifted gingerly on her desk chair in her small office. She’d just had her fourth lesson with Bert and Rocky, and she was as sore as she’d been the first time. Horseback riding used a set of muscles that weren’t happy about the activity, and wow, did they complain. If she didn’t want to spend the rest of her life whimpering, she obviously needed to start working out regularly. Maybe yoga or Pilates would help, she thought, making a mental note to find a class somewhere nearby.

She completed her soda order and clicked the send button on the website. Business was brisk, which helped. At least her work life was in order.

As for the rest of it, well, she was getting by. In the four weeks since everything had fallen apart, she’d made some progress. She hadn’t seen or spoken to her brother. So far she was fine withthat. Agatha had been supportive and loving, always ready to listen. Beth was enjoying the horseback riding, and while it was tough to work at the food bank on a different day and not see Jana, she knew it was the right thing to do.

As for Teddy, well, there still weren’t words to describe her pain. She ached for him in ways she wouldn’t have thought possible. It wasn’t just that she missed him—it was losing out on the promise of what they could have been to each other. While the thought of being a stepmother terrified her, she knew that she’d been willing to give it her all. She missed Magnolia, Atlas and Orchid. And Linnie. Always Linnie.

---