Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Eden walked into the coffee shop and saw Tennie sitting at a table. She waved her over and Eden noticed two drinks sitting on the table.
“I got here first and the line was long so I ordered for you,” Tennie said. “I hope that’s okay.”
Eden sat down and put her purse on the chair next to her. “Thank you, that’s so nice, but it was my turn.”
Tennie shrugged. “We’re not keeping score.”
Eden smirked then sipped her drink. “I taste a caramel drizzle. You pay attention.”
Tennie gave her a big smile. “I decided to try it and now I know why you like it.”
Eden chuckled. “How was the rest of your weekend?”
“Not bad,” Tennie replied. “I’m loving the warmer weather. I rode my bike around the lake. You have to go with me sometime.”
“I don’t have a bike.”
“That’s okay. I can get you a bike,” Tennie said.
“I was just telling Randi that I feel like all I’m doing is eating and drinking on these dates.” Eden held up her drink and sipped.
Tennie chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind when we go out again. Maybe this weekend we could ride or walk around the lake?”
“Let’s do it,” Eden said.
The smile on Tennie’s face lit up her eyes. Eden knew Tennie could be shy and didn’t always smile with such fervor. It looked good on her.
“How was the rest of your weekend?”
“It was a little out of the ordinary,” Eden said.
“Is that a good thing?”
“I’m used to doing something with Randi over the weekend, but we didn’t see each other until brunch on Sunday,” Eden said. “We love to go to this little place down the street from her apartment.”
“Do you do that often?”
Eden nodded. “Most Sundays.”
“I imagine that’s nice,” Tennie said. “Something you can count on.”
“Yeah, I guess it is.” Eden took a sip of her drink and narrowed her gaze. “Hey, let me ask you something.”
“Okay.”
“What did you think of Cari on Friday night?”
Tennie’s brows crept up her forehead. “Uh, she seems nice. I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“Sorry.” Eden winced. “I think she’s interested in Randi. You see, yesterday we went to the bookstore where we’re planning an author event for her and…” She pressed her lips together. “There were several looks exchanged and a touch here and there.”
“Oh?” Tennie said.
Eden could tell Tennie was weighing her words. “Randi is head of her team and Cari is our client,” she added.
“Oh, I get it,” Tennie said. “I’m thinking back to Friday night. I’m not sure I noticed anything then. They danced together a lot, but Randi was teaching her how to two-step.”
Eden nodded. “I know. That’s what I thought, too, but Randi met her for a drink Saturday and Cari showed up at the office yesterday morning.”
“I danced with her once,” Tennie said. “She mentioned that she’s staying with her sister’s family and was happy to have new friends to do things with. Maybe she’s just being friendly.”
Eden nodded. “Maybe, but it seemed like more yesterday.”
“Did you ask Randi about it?”
“Of course I did!” Eden exclaimed. “I don’t want her to be in a compromising position. We’re finally working together.”
Tennie nodded and sipped her coffee.
Eden paused, realizing how she must sound, and widened her eyes. “I’m making too much of this, aren’t I?”
Tennie smiled. “I wouldn’t say that. You sound very protective of Randi and I’m sure she’s the same with you.”
Eden nodded and let Tennie continue.
“Do you think Cari realizes what she's doing, if she’s doing anything?”
Eden smirked. “I don’t know.”
“Sorry, I’m not much help.”
“No, no.” Eden reached over and squeezed Tennie’s hand. “Thank you for listening to me and letting me work through this.” She tilted her head. “You’re a good listener.”
“I try.” Tennie shrugged. “I can see how important this is to you.”
Eden smiled. She may not know what was going on with Randi and Cari, but Eden already knew she hoped to keep Tennie as a friend. Maybe it could turn into more.
“I think Cari wants to be friends with y’all and I can’t blame her,” Tennie said with a smile. “The few times I’ve been around Randi and Analise they seem like good people. And of course she wants to be your friend. I do, too.”
Eden grinned. “You are my friend.”
“Good for me.” Tennie grinned and sipped her coffee.
“I really enjoy these brief morning dates,” Eden said. “You always make me smile.”
“Same.”
Maybe Eden could count on morning coffee with Tennie the same way she counted on brunch with Randi.
“Hey, I just remembered you’re a reader,” Eden said. “I’d love for you to come to the author event for Cari. I may have to help with it, but I think you’d enjoy it.”
“I’d love to,” Tennie said. “Just let me know where and when.”
“I’ll text you the details.”
“Great. As much as I’ve enjoyed our time together,” Tennie said, “I’ve got to go. Let’s plan on doing something outdoors this weekend.”
“You’ve got a date,” Eden said. “But I’ll see you before then, won’t I?”
Tennie held up her cup. “Next time is on you.”
Eden smiled as they got up and said their goodbyes. It was nice to have someone to talk to about Randi and Cari. Tennie was a good listener and as Eden explained the situation, she could hear how she was probably overreacting. Or was she?
Randi looked at the charcuterie board she was almost finished creating when she heard a knock at her front door. She didn’t bother to wipe her hands or attempt to answer the door because she’d received a text moments earlier.
“It’s just me,” Eden said from the living room.
“I’m in here,” Randi replied. She’d given Eden a key to her apartment years ago. She couldn’t think of one time Eden had used it without letting her know first.
“Hey,” Eden said, walking into the kitchen. “Wow, doesn’t that look pretty and delicious.”
Randi chuckled. “Here, have a taste.” She reached over and popped an olive into Eden’s mouth.
“Mmm.” Eden moaned. “That’s good.”
“Try one of these crackers with this dip.” Randi handed her a cracker and pointed to a small container in the middle of the board. She watched as Eden dipped the cracker then placed it into her mouth. Randi grinned at the delighted look on her face. “Told you. It’s good.”
“It is.” Eden nodded. “Thank you again for hosting game night. I didn’t think it would take us this long to find a night that would work for everyone.”
“You mean a night that would work for Gabi,” Randi said.
“I guess you’re right,” Eden said. “Our little foursome has become a regular thing.”
Randi smiled as she continued to get the food ready.
Eden was right. In the past couple of weeks she, Eden, Cari, and Analise had fallen into a routine of sorts.
Cari came by the office several times a week and the four of them went out for drinks after work, plus they’d had dinner together more than once.
“Thank goodness,” Randi said. “I hope you’ve finally calmed down about Cari spending so much time with us.”
“It’s not time with us I’m concerned about.” Eden raised a brow and stared at Randi.
The doorbell rang and Randi grinned. “Saved by the bell.”
A few moments later Cari, her sister, and Analise followed her into the kitchen.
“Hi, Eden,” Cari said. “I’d like you to meet my sister, Paige.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Eden replied.
“Thank y’all for letting me tag along,” Paige said. “It’s nice to get out of the house and be with adults.” She chuckled. “Cari and I used to be pretty good at games when we were kids.”
Cari shrugged. “We’ll see if we remember how to play.” She turned to Eden. “Analise and I were just saying we should’ve invited Tennie and Kelly to play games with us tonight.”
“Yeah, I think Tennie would like this,” Analise said.
Eden put her hand to her chest. “My heart is pounding at the thought.” She chuckled. “But you’re right, Tennie would love this. However, Kelly and I have moved on.”
“What!” Randi exclaimed.
“Yeah, she’s really busy and works such late hours,” Eden said. “We’d have to meet at venues the way we did that first night in order to see each other. It didn’t work out.”
“I’m sorry,” Cari said. “So does that mean you’re still dating Tennie and Gabi?”
Eden nodded. “Tennie and I rode bikes around the lake on Saturday. It was fun. I don’t know when I’ve done anything like that.”
“I do,” Randi said. “Don’t you remember? Last summer we went to that bar on the lake with all the bikes parked out front.”
“Oh yeah, I was meeting Summer and made you go with me,” Eden said.
“And,” Randi said, her eyes bright with excitement, “one of Summer’s friends was being an ass and challenged me to a bike race.”
“Oh no,” Cari said. “What happened?”
“He really was a dick,” Eden said. “I’ll tell you what happened! Randi jumped on a random bike and took off down the road.”
“That’s right,” Randi said. “He never had a chance.”
Eden laughed. “My girl won and we drank free beer the rest of the night.”
Randi laughed and shook her head. “I hadn’t thought about that in a long time.”
“I imagine you two are full of stories like that,” Analise said.
Randi caught Eden’s gaze and smiled. They both shrugged then giggled.
The doorbell rang again and Eden said, “That must be Gabi.”
Randi, Cari, and Analise carried the food to the table in the living room while Eden answered the door. Once introductions were made they all gathered around the table to snack and chat.
“Eden tells me you want to learn to salsa,” Gabi said to Randi.
Randi swallowed a bite. “I do,” she replied, wiping the corner of her mouth. “Can you teach us?”
Gabi nodded and looked over at Eden with a smile. “Eden caught on quickly.”
“I just learned to two-step and I want to go dancing again,” Cari said.
“That was a fun night,” Analise said. “We should do it again.”
“We took Cari to Billy Bob’s,” Eden explained.
“Randi is a very good teacher,” Cari said with a smile.
“Thank you.” Randi bowed her head slightly. “Do you dance, Paige?”
“Oh, I’ve been to Billy Bob’s a few times,” Paige said. “I had no idea you wanted to learn to dance, Cari. We could’ve taken you.”
Cari shrugged. “When I met Randi the night before her presentation I saw people two-stepping at the bar and it looked like fun.”
“Presentation?” Gabi asked.
“I told you, Randi works with me,” Eden said. “Analise is the owner of the company. Cari is an author we had been trying to sign—”
“And Randi made such an amazing pitch I couldn’t say no.” Cari chuckled. “So now they’re stuck with me and I bother them several times a week while they’re trying to sell more of my books.”
“I remember Randi’s awesome pitch from the night I met Eden,” Gabi said, putting her arm around Eden’s shoulders.
Randi couldn’t keep her eyes off Gabi’s hand.
She could see how her thumb was gently moving back and forth over Eden’s exposed skin.
Why did she have to wear a sleeveless shirt tonight?
Randi could feel a sudden rush of heat through her body.
This should not be bothering her. She took a deep breath and quickly reached for her drink.
“Y’all are like a happy little work family,” Gabi said.
“We are,” Eden replied.
Randi followed Eden’s gaze around the table until their eyes met. She quickly smiled, hoping to hide the redness she knew was spreading across her cheeks.
“Eden told me about her love of game nights. I used to play with my family all the time,” Gabi said. “But my boring friends don’t like to play, so thank you for having me over and doing this.”
“You’re welcome,” Randi said.
“Paige and I played with our family, too,” Cari said.
“I’ve heard that Randi and Eden are very good,” Analise said. “This will be our first game night together, so we’ll see how it goes. I hope we’ll still be friends when it’s over.”
Randi chuckled. “It’s not like that, Analise. We’re not that competitive.”
“You’re not, but you know I am,” Eden said, staring at her.
Randi smirked. “What she means is that when we aren’t partners I am not as cutthroat towards her, yet she is to me.”
“That’s because you’re such a softie.” Eden smiled. “But I make up for it.”
“Oh yeah? When?” Randi asked, raising her brows.
“How quickly you forget.” Eden shook her head. “Do you remember the roller coasters?”
“Oh!” Randi groaned.
“That’s what I thought.”
“What roller coasters? What does that have to do with game night?” Cari asked.
“One night, we were playing games and Eden and I were not partners,” Randi explained.
“One of our friends made a side bet that included the losing team having to ride the big roller coasters at Six Flags,” Eden said. “We were all going that following weekend.”
Randi sighed. “I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Anyway, I was on the losing team and Eden was on the winning team.”
“Once we got to Six Flags it was rather crowded so someone suggested pairing off to make sure the losers rode the coasters. I immediately grabbed Randi and we took off for the biggest roller coaster in the park.”
Randi chuckled. “I remember the closer we got to that ride the sicker I felt.”
“But…” Eden pointed a finger to the sky. “Have no fear, best friend Eden is here!”
Randi laughed. “Yes, you were.”
“I led her past that roller coaster and around to the cave ride. We got in line, jumped in one of the boats and floated into that mysterious cave. No one knew Randi never rode the roller coaster that day.”
Randi met Eden’s gaze and the smile on her face took Randi back to that day.
She had saved her from embarrassment and certain nausea.
She remembered Eden grabbing her hand, waving goodbye to their friends, and hurrying them away.
Eden told her there was no way she had to ride that roller coaster and their friends didn’t have to know how scared she was.
It would be their secret. To this day, their friends still didn’t know Randi’s fear of roller coasters.
“What’s the cave ride?” Cari asked.
“The girls love it,” Paige replied. “You go floating in these little cars that look like boats along this track into a darkened cave where there’s cartoon figures that look like pirates. You meander along in the cool mist and shade. It’s our favorite ride when we go in the summer and it’s so hot.”
“So you two snuck into the little kids’ ride while your friends were daring the big coaster,” Analise said. “I love roller coasters. I would’ve ridden it for you, Randi.”
“It doesn’t sound like such a big deal, but if you knew our friends…” Randi said. “They would still be teasing me about it years later if they knew. Eden really did save me that day.”
“Yeah, and it taught us to always be on the same team.” Eden grinned.
“But not tonight!” Cari exclaimed. “You have to give us a chance.”
“We’ll see,” Randi said, narrowing her gaze.
“Let the games begin,” Eden said.