Page 25 of About Time You Noticed

"No. But he wants to see your play. The guy could use some friends. It must be hard to come back to Clear Creek."

"Sarah, you always think of others first."

"That's not a bad thing, Em."

"Depends." She sighed. "You don't think Edward will call you?"

"He said he would."

Emily's voice brightened. "Good. Maybe he's taking it slow since you’re dating other guys."

"I sound like a flirt." She laughed.

"Not at all. It will show Edward he needs to step up his game. It's not a given he’ll win you over."

Sarah removed a hairpin digging into her scalp. "Do you think there's a chance Tommy was behind this?"

"How's that?"

"He came over to my house before the date. Then I see him at the same restaurant. Maybe he purposely got his friend to interrupt the evening."

"Would Tommy do such a thing?"

"He is overprotective."

Emily gasped. "It couldn't be—no. Not after all this time."

Sarah bolted to an upright position. "What?"

"I'm probably wrong."

"What is it?"

Ethan's voice boomed in the background.

"Hey, Sarah. I have to go. Ethan's waiting for me. We're watching a movie."

"Oh. Sorry. I'll see you tomorrow at church."

"Yep. And Sarah—"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry about Edward. If he's the right one, he will pursue you and refuse to give up. But if it's someone else, you'll know soon enough."

After Sarah ended the call, an email notification from her website form flashed on her Apple watch. She slipped into her pajamas before opening her MacBook, sitting cross-legged on her bed.

As she opened the email, her jaw gaped at the inquiry. They were quick. Damien and Tommy had booked weekly horse-riding lessons for Monday afternoons for the next two months. In the comment section, a note said they’d paid in advance through PayPal.

She opened the notification from PayPal, but the boys hadn't claimed a friend's discount. Instead, they’d paid fifty dollars more than required. A generous tip and a welcome one. Sarah could pay her dad the rent she owed and two weeks in advance. Another step toward her goal to get her own place and grow the horse boarding part of the business. She wasn’t ready to sign the lease agreement Dad had drawn up and presently, he let her slide with a month-to-month arrangement. Thank goodness her parents were generous and flexible.

What were Damien and Tommy up to? Tommy had shown no interest in riding until now. Why the sudden change of heart?

---