Page 47 of Austen Persuaded

Viviana inhaled sharply and made a face that wasn’t quite a smile. “Annie … hi.”

“I’m surprised to see you here,” I said, giving her a friendly smile. I felt nervous, somehow sensing that this was my opportunity. We were alone. In a public place, but not among our friends.

“Why?” Viviana demanded, eyes flashing. “Can’t I shop like anyone else?”

Whoa, I bring out the worst in her.

I stepped back. “Of course, sorry, I just meant that it’s a strange coincidence because, well, I was just thinking about calling you.” I smiled a little. “And here you are.”

Likely realizing she was overreacting, Viviana bit her lip and lowered her eyes slightly. “Sorry. I … didn’t mean to be so defensive.”

“It’s fine. I get it. Things did not end well between us.” I sighed.

Just own up to it, Annie.

“I was a total jerk, actually.”

Viviana burst into laughter. “Sorry, I shouldn’t laugh. That was just soblunt.”

“Yeah, that’s me.” I shrugged and then grinned.

She looked down and said quietly, “I miss that.”

“You do? I’ve been realizing of late that it’s not one of my better traits. I can’t believe it took me this long to figure that out.”

“Well, bluntness has a time and place. Sometimes I wish …”

“You wish what?”

“I wish I could be like that. Sometimes.”

“Oh. Well, maybe I could teach you.” I smiled hesitantly. “I could be the mentor for once.”

Viviana actually smiled in return. “I’d like that.”

I wasn’t sure what to say next. My female friendships had usually just fizzled out with little to no effort to revive them. What did one do next? So, I looked into Viviana’s eyes with the most sincere expression I could muster. “Can you forgive me, Viv?”

She nodded, her eyes hopeful. “Only ifyouforgiveme.”

“I was the awful person, not you. It’s the damn redhead temper, right? No, I don’t have an excuse. You were just looking out for me and trying to protect me from another jerk, as always.” With a heavy shrug, I let out a long exhale. “I sure know how to pick ’em.”

“But I could’ve tried to get in touch with you after that. Instead of giving up on us so easily,” Viviana said.

That’s true, I thought.That’s cool she can admit that.

She swallowed visibly and continued, “I just … I don’t know. Maybe I needed space. Not from you necessarily, but from everything. Things weren’t going well with Gregory, and that ended terribly. I’m sure you know that. They both played us for fools, and I was just as gullible as you were, maybe more so because Gregory made it pretty obvious from the start that he was not a good person. And—”

“Viv, I’m so sorry I wasn’t there for you and that I pushed him on you. I was a little too wrapped up in myself to see what was happening or whatcouldhappen with a guy like that.” I frowned.

Wow, I owe her an apology for lots of things. More than I thought.

I squeezed my hands together, trying to refrain from jumping at her with a huge hug. “I wasn’t being a great friend either.”

“OK, so … let’s stop being crappy friends. Deal?” Viviana smiled, sticking out her hand.

I laughed, putting both arms out to pull her into a hug. “Bring it in.”

Even though I could feel the tension in her body as well as my own, the hug was immensely calming. It struck me how much I’d suffered from having little contact—physical or emotional—for weeks with anyone other than occasionally my roomies. “Well, this is playing out like a scene in a Hallmark movie,” Viviana said. “And we’re in the Hallmark aisle.”

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