Page 34 of Needing Happily Ever After

“Oh my goodness!” It was not her imagination when she saw her friend’s face turn a very bright shade of pink. “No. I mean…no.”

“It sure sounds like dating.”

“We’re friends. It’s never been anything more.” Sarah shrugged and looked down at the table.

“But you want it to be–“

“No!” Sarah’s head shot up. “I mean….can we not talk about this anymore?”

Faith put her glass down and leaned across the table. “It’s okay, Sarah.”

“No.” Sarah shook her head, looking flustered. “I just…we’re just friends.”

Faith wasn’t buying it. She may not believe in love herself, but other people did. And whatever was going on with Sarah and Brody was definitely more than a friendship. Anyone could see the way they looked at each other.

“Honestly?” Sarah shrugged and turned to look as Brody made a shot to break the balls on the table before looking back at Faith. She leaned over the table and whispered, with a small smile on her face, “I really like having him around and all, but I haven’t really thought about dating him. I actually haven’t thought about dating anyone. I think it might be too soon.”

All at once, it became clear to Faith what the problem was.

It’s okay to be happy.” Sarah and Josh had been high school sweethearts, and they’d all been friends in school. Faith felt certain that what she said was true. Josh would have wanted Sarah to move on and be happy. “And Brody is great with Rory, right? I mean, he coaches the soccer team and he doesn’t even have kids. That’s like next level.”

She smiled. “I know, it’s just…” She looked down and swallowed hard before continuing. “It’s hard.”

Faith smiled supportively. She couldn’t even imagine just how hard it was. “Whenever you’re ready, Sarah. Don’t overthink things, okay? Just go with it and let it happen the way it should. And whatever you do, please do not feel bad about moving on, okay? You know as well as I do that’s all Josh would want.”

And she was pretty sure Josh wouldn’t have any problem with Sarah being happy and moving on with Brody, but she didn’t say so. Clearly her friend wasn’t ready. Not yet at least.

Sarah nodded and smiled. “Thank you, Faith. It’s true. Sometimes I think I just need someone else to say it, you know?”

She did.

It wasn’t until much later after Faith was home and shutting off the lights as she got ready to go up to bed that she allowed herself a moment to think. What if she’d been wrong? What if love was a real thing? She’d spent so long pushing it away and keeping any real feelings from coming close, but what if she’d made a mistake? After all, Katie and Damon had found it, even when it had been there the whole time. And Hope and Levi. And even Sarah—hell, she may have found it twice. Even if she didn’t know it yet.

She paused in front of the fireplace and picked up a framed photo of her parents. They’d been in love. Desperately in love, Hope used to say. But her twin sister hadn’t known the truth. She’d never known. Only Faith held onto the secret that their parents’ happily ever after had all been a lie.

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