Page 33 of A Surefire Love
“I guess we all have our talents.” Blaze took the seat beside Honor. “So. Girls’ night?”
“It wasn’t planned that way.” Sydney sipped her soda.
“I’m newly single.” Honor’s blue eyes seemed to hold determination.
“And better for it,” Madison said.
“Yeah. I don’t know why I ….” Honor shook her head, and her blond hair swung. “Sometimes only hindsight shows you how far off course you let things go.”
Sydney rubbed Honor’s back, her silence packed with compassion. After a couple of seconds, she refocused on Blaze. “And Anson’s at the gym, blowing off steam. There was drama with some of the kids from the canoe trip.”
Blaze nodded. She heard about the drinking, but not what had been done about it.
Madison leaned closer to Sydney. “Unless he wants you to think he’s at the gym. Maybe he’s off making elaborate anniversary plans.”
“Anniversary?” Blaze tried to remember when she’d first seen Sydney and Anson together but came up blank. “Congratulations. How long?”
“A year since our first date. We came here, actually. To one of your shows.”
Madison laughed. “As if that counts. You both came here regularly before you started dating.”
Sydney cracked a smile. “But that night, we held hands.”
Madison snorted. “Which is as steamy as you two get.”
Honor grinned. “Will that change after he proposes, or are you saving kissing along with everything else for after the vows?”
“Stop it.” Sydney pressed the back of her hand to her cheek. “We kiss.”
Madison crossed her arms with a smug smile. “Not that I’ve seen.”
Not that Blaze had seen either. Maybe that was why she kept having to remind herself Anson was off the market.
Sydney opened her mouth, but then bit her bottom lip.
Blaze had to help her out. She’d never forget the searing shame of being caught making out with her boyfriend outside the high school. Maybe Anson and Sydney were on to something. “Discretion is underrated,” Blaze said.
Honor grunted. “And you know what? Maybe kissing’soverrated.”
Madison gasped and pressed a hand to her chest. “Jimmy did a number on you. There’s nothing quite like a good kiss. Right?” She nudged Sydney with her elbow.
Sydney pursed her smiling lips and shook her head, refusing to comment.
Madison braced a hand on the table. “When a kiss is all fireworks and thrills and … and safety. Does that sound weird? Because I think that’s key. Safety in the midst of all the exhilaration.That’swhen you’ve got a keeper.”
Sydney chuckled, and Blaze knew she ought to laugh, but her lungs refused to cooperate. The last time she’d felt safe, she’d been in Anson’s arms. But she was simply grateful she hadn’t drowned. That was all she felt. Gratitude.
Time to stop obsessing about it. She smiled at Madison. “You’re quite the romantic.”
Smirking, Madison eyed Sydney, who sat a little too still with two fingers resting on her lips.
“If youarewaiting for the proposal,” Honor said, “then I bet Thursday’s the day.”
Sydney lowered her hand. “He has a meeting on Thursday. We’re getting dinner on Saturday, but he hasn’t said anything about special plans.”
“That’s even more of a sign.” Madison stabbed the table with her index finger. “A guy like Anson doesn’t forget an anniversary. I bet he hasn’t said anything because he wants you to think he forgot so the proposal is more of a surprise.”
“You’re crazy.” Sydney laughed, but as Madison focused on other topics, Sydney’s expression sobered, and she withdrew from the conversation.
