Page 42 of Organized Chaos

They were in the church parking lot along with several other vehicles. Phillip scrubbed both hands over his face and yawned.

Yvonne glanced at Dwight and patted Phillip’s knee. “I almost feel bad for dragging you out here.”

“Almost.” Phillip smiled through another yawn. “I’m glad you almost feel bad.”

Dwight’s laughter shut off as he slammed the door shut and rounded the hood of the truck.

Yvonne squeezed Phillip’s knee. “Come on.”

He eased out of the truck and followed the happy couple through the doors leading to the meeting hall. He stopped to take in the transformation. Tables were spread all around the space and had been covered with blue tablecloths. The lights were dimmed, and a single spotlight pointed toward a makeshift stage on the far side of the room.

People moved around the perimeter, some of them making plates from the buffet tables lining one wall.

A couple of people laughed. The sound shot through Phillip and knocked him back like he’d been horse kicked. This was why he’d not wanted to come, he realized. He’d known it would remind him of Sarah.

He missed her with a fierce and aching pain deep within his heart. Tomorrow. He’d see her first thing tomorrow and make everything better since she hadn’t responded to his bouquet. Why hadn’t she responded? The question badgered him while he followed Dwight and Yvonne to the tables and piled a plate high.

They weaved through the thickening crowd and settled at one of the circular tables near the front. Phillip settled his elbows on the table and rubbed his eyes.

“You okay?”

He startled and spun to face Sarah’s voice.

She stared back at him from across the table.

Dwight, Yvonne, Tim, and Margo took their seats, the couples dividing him and Sarah as effectively as Moses parted the Red Sea.

Phillip forced his voice to work. “Fine.” The single word came out sounding like he’d eaten gravel. He cleared his throat. “How are you?”

A microphone squealed. Sarah clapped her hands over her ears and faced the stage. Dwight shot Phillip a pitying look.

Tim nudged him in the ribs. “That was painful, man.”

“What’s she doing here?” Phillip hissed the question low enough that Sarah wouldn’t overhear. Seeing her bothered him in ways he didn’t understand. Every nerve and muscle fought to make him stand up and move closer to her.

Tim gave a crooked grin and jerked his chin toward Margo. “We thought you two might need a little time together.”

“So you set us up at the comedy show?” Phillip motioned at the table. “And put us on opposite sides of the table. Going to be hard to have quality time together like this.”

“You want quality time, you better ask for it.” Tim bit into a carrot and turned his back on Phillip. “We just thought you two might want a reminder of how much you like each other since you keep ignoring what’s right under your nose.”

They didn’t understand. Phillip opened his mouth to say just that when the spotlight brightened, and a man stepped out from behind the curtain.

Applause thundered. Dwight stuck two fingers in his mouth and whistled.

Phillip clapped along while keeping one eye on Sarah. She sat with one elbow on the table, her body shifted toward the stage. Her plate sat untouched, but the smile she wore warmed his heart.

She’d been duped.Sarah focused on the man standing in the ring of light. Phillip’s friends hadn’t invited her here out of the goodness of their hearts. They’d intentionally brought her and Phillip together. No one said that, but she knew it. She saw it in the way they kept looking at each other when they thought neither she nor Phillip were looking.

Was it terrible that she wanted to boot either Dwight or Tim from their seats so she could sit next to Phillip? Maybe hold his hand. Was that so wrong?

Yes.

“Welcome and thank you for that warm welcome. I’m Brian.” The comedian waved a hand as though to ramp up the applause. “You’ll have to keep that up. I don’t work well under pressure. You’ll have to keep me feeling motivated and loved.”

Quiet chuckles met his opening. Sarah sipped her ice water and eyed Phillip.

Brian cupped a hand over his eyes and looked out over the crowd. “Looks like a full house tonight.” He strode across the stage. The microphone cord wrapped around one leg and he stumbled.

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