Page 46 of The House on Firefly Beach
Sydney pulled the phone from her ear to save her eardrum. “Yes.”
Hallie’s voice came through muffled as she had evidently turned from the phone to relay this information to Ben.
“Sorry,” she said, coming back to Hallie. “Ben and I are at the most incredible place right now having drinks. It’s all pillars and white tablecloths with sparkling wine and the whole place hovers over the ocean. It’s absolutely incredible.”
“So why are you on the phone? You should be enjoying it!”
“I am! I just wanted to check in. Here, I’ll put you on speaker. There’s no one around at the moment and Ben wants to hear all about Nate and Robby.”
“So have you two finally made up?” Ben’s voice came through the phone.
Sydney started walking around the field with Beau in one hand and her phone in the other. “I wouldn’t say we’ve made up. I think I’ve finally found some closure.”
“I don’t buy it,” Ben said.
“Why not?”
“He’s crazy for you. He’s been in love with you since the day he rolled out of town.”
She looked over at Nate in the distance. He was to the side of the team tent, kneeling down with a group of boys, smiling, making them laugh.
“He has a funny way of showing it,” she said, Ben’s comment making no sense at all. Why would he have left her and hurt her so terribly if he loved her? “I think you’re mistaken. Nobody rolls out of town when they’re crazy about someone.”
“I’m not mistaken,” Ben said. “But it isn’t my place to get involved. I just thought he’d have told you, that’s all.”
Juliana waved from across the field and started making her way over to Sydney.
“Have you gotten Mama anything, Hallie?” she asked, changing the subject. She threw her hand up to Juliana.
“Not yet! I’m still looking…”
“You should get her a beach bag or a keychain,” Sydney suggested, another grin surfacing at the thought of her earlier conversation with her mother.
“Oh, yes! I saw these cool woven bags at a corner market. I’ll find her a really great one… I can’t wait to see you.”
“How’s Beau doing?” Ben chimed in.
“He’s missing you,” she told him. “He loafs around most of the time. I’ve got him at the park with me right now while Robby’s at his first football meeting. Here, talk to him. I’ll put you on speaker.” She tapped her phone screen.
“Hey, boy!” Ben called through the phone. “I’ll be home soon, okay?”
Beau’s ears perked up, and he lifted his head to sniff the phone, his tail wagging.
“He’s rolling his eyes and telling me you’d better bring him back a new toy for the lack of ball-chasing he’s had to endure in your absence,” Sydney said with a laugh. Juliana had nearly reached her, so Sydney said, “I’m going to go, okay? But call me back later if you want to catch up some more.”
They said their goodbyes as Juliana strolled up.
“May I walk with you?” Juliana asked from behind her sunglasses. She was wearing a form-fitting spandex workout suit with designer sneakers, her dark hair pulled tightly into a smooth ponytail at the back of her head, accentuating her high cheekbones.
“Of course.” Sydney started to walk along the small track that circled the field while Beau jogged beside her. “No photographers today?”
“It seems like it was just the one. Not sure if they were after Nate or me. Sometimes they will do that when we are in remote places; someone will get word about where we are and they certainly aren’t going to tell anyone so they can have the exclusive. When we didn’t come out, he probably finally gave up.”
“Dodging them all must be exhausting.”
“Yes…”
“And you’re sure it was someone from the press and not a hired photographer from your agency?”
