Page 4 of Hearts Like Hers

“You’re a good egg, Randy. Until anothertime,” she said, in homage to their old childhood farewell.

“Don’t commit a crime,” he recited back.

God, they were really lame kids, weren’tthey?

With a final wave to Randy, Kate headed backinto the world, chin down and thoughts dialed purposefully to dull. Her truckalready carried her two suitcases, her laptop, a few choice novels to which shewould add the new ones she’d just picked up. With a wounded heart and a dullache in her throat, she left the only home she’d ever known. Not that there’dbeen a choice. She had to find a way to climb her way out. She had to find away to breathe.

Kate flipped the radio to something loud andindecipherable and made her way out of town, en route to the Oregon border. Shecouldn’t help but wonder what California might have in store. If she hadanything to say about it, nothing at all. Just a calm, quiet reprieve from thechatter of her recent existence.

All she asked for.

Chapter Two

The afternoon was bright and fantastic.

Bollocks.Autumn would expect nothing less. Why make this any easier on her whatsoever?

Apparently, the late-March weather knewOlivia O’Dell was getting married and made sure to get out of the way. Elegantwhite chairs with sculpted backs had been assembled into neat little rowsoverlooking the lake, which lapped in serenity. From behind the guests, a harpand flute combo played in beautiful tandem as the procession began. Oliviafirst.

“Oh my God, she’s breathtaking,” a womansaid, from the row behind Autumn’s. The music swelled, and from her spot nextto Autumn, Hadley passed her a nervous glance. Autumn smiled back as if to say,“No big deal. I watch exes of mine get married every day.” She had to admit,though, as Olivia floated down the aisle on her way to wedded matrimony (as iftoo perfect for her feet to meet the ground), she radiated. Her blond hair satpiled on top of her head, with little tendrils framing the side of her facelike one of those women from the bridal magazines. The simple white dressseemed made to accentuate her now much-more-slender body. But it was the smileon her face that really sucker-punched Autumn. She’d seen that smile before,when it had been directed at her. It was Olivia’s blissfully happy smile, onlynow it seemed to be her blissfully happy smile on steroids.

She was happier with Betsy.

Autumn had known that, hadn’t she? But seeingit firsthand cemented it in the worst way. Her stomach flooded with ice. Hereyes filled with tears and she dabbed at them. Everyone who wasn’t Hadley wouldthink she was moved by the emotion of the occasion and she could use that. Sheplayed it up, doing her best to look sentimental, touched, and joyful. Hadley,however, squeezed her hand in solidarity, and that helped. That grounded her.She didn’t let go of Hadley’s hand during the fifteen-minute ceremony, thelongest fifteen minutes of her life. The fact of the matter was, she wasn’t inlove with Olivia anymore, and hadn’t been in quite a while. So much hadchanged. She did, however, mourn for that time in her life when she’d felt likea part of something, instead of a ship adrift on the ocean of life, alone andanchorless. That was her. A lonely little ship, aging more and more as each daypassed. The concept left a bitter taste on her tongue, difficult to swallow.

They let the other guests file out ahead ofthem. “There’s a receiving line,” Hadley told her quietly. “Want to skip it?”

Autumn nodded. “Definitely.” She excusedherself inside the nearby building to the restroom, passing the entrance to abeautiful ballroom with glass windows high enough to make the lake outside seemas if it stretched for miles, calm and smooth. The exact opposite of her ownreality. Cascading centerpieces with gorgeous springtime flowers toweredelegantly on each table as the staff set out carafes of Chablis. She blinked.It was so beautiful, and sonothers. She braced against the onslaught of regret.

When she emerged and rejoined the rest of thegroup outside, the cocktail party was in full swing. Hadley immediately handedher a bourbon and Coke.Goodwingman. Good wingman indeed.While it would help, she was smartenough to sip the whiskey, refusing to be the drunk ex-girlfriend who made afool of herself at the reception.

Oh, and there was Olivia’s younger sister,Misty, headed straight for them. Luckily, she was a decent person.

“Autumn!” she exclaimed. “You came!” With herarms outstretched, Misty pulled her into a warm embrace. “Surreal, isn’t it?”she said quietly in Autumn’s ear. “I always thought it would be you two who…”She trailed off.

“Yeah, me too,” Autumn said, and then movedthem forward. “The ceremony was beautiful.”

“It was.” Misty nodded, placing a hand overher heart. “And is this your date?”

Autumn turned to Hadley. She could easilyexplain that Hadley was just her friend, but “date” made her feel like less ofa loser. “Yes, this is Hadley. She’s awesome.”

Taking the cue without hesitation, Hadleystepped forward. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Misty covered her mouth. “You two areadorable. And I mean that.”

“Oh. Thank you,” Autumn said, conservatively.Technically, she hadn’t lied. She wouldn’t go to hell for sidestepping a smallcorrection, would she?

Once they were alone, Hadley turned to her,blinking innocently. “Does this gig come with benefits? I’d like to know inadvance what I’m entitled to.”

“Ha-ha,” Autumn said, feeling lighter. “Not achance.”

Hadley shrugged, her turquoise eyes dancing.“Mayday,” she said abruptly, changing gears. “Incoming at ten o’clock.”

Autumn turned in time to see Misty headingtheir way with none other than the brides themselves. This was bad. This wasmore than bad. “Olivia!” she exclaimed happily. “Congratulations!”

Olivia beamed as she approached. “Autumn, youhave no idea how glad I am that you came.” They exchanged a weird cheek kissthat Olivia initiated. Not knowing quite what to do, she repeated the kiss whenshe got to Betsy.

“We weren’t sure if you’d actually show,”Betsy said, as if talking to a wounded child. “No one would have blamed you forskipping out.”

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