Page 52 of Then Came You

“How well did they know each other?” Savannah asked.

“Not very. Sam hadn’t been on the force very long before Owen…” She still found it difficult to say the word, and her friends nodded sympathetically.

“And you just found this out?” Lauren asked.

“A couple of weeks ago.”

“So that’s what’s been bothering you,” Savannah said.

“Sam and I were starting to get closer, but then he told me, and now I don’t know what to think. It bothers me that he kept it a secret.”

Their conversation ceased as the waiter set down their drinks. “Your food will be right out.” He looked directly at Savannah when he said it, obviously having identified her as the ringleader, but she barely responded. Gillian felt a surge of gratitude, knowing that she had Savannah’s full attention. She also felt somewhat sorry for the waiter, who looked like he’d been rebuffed.

“Did you ever tell Sam about Owen? Before, I mean.”

Gillian frowned at Lauren. “No, but that’s not the point.”

Lauren looked to Savannah for backup.

“Sweetie, how can you blame it all on Sam when you didn’t bring up Owen either?”

“Whose side are you guys on?”

“Did Sam explain why he waited so long to tell you?” Lauren asked.

Gillian took a long slug of beer, realizing she was starting to feel a bit woozy. She hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and now she was on her second drink before dinner. Still, she was with her friends, so she felt safe. She glanced across the room at Sam and his date, who was leaning across the table, talking animatedly with him. She wished she could see his face to read his expression. On the other hand, maybe it was better this way. She didn’t want to think about him enjoying an outing with some other woman.

“He made some excuse about not wanting to upset me. Like I could be any more upset about the fact that my fiancé died.”

She’d inadvertently raised her voice, and a couple at the neighboring table glanced at her with a look of pity. Pity was the last thing she wanted, although, given the way she’d been acting…

Savannah looked her straight in the eye. “I think Sam deserves a second chance.”

Gillian’s mouth dropped open, and then she looked over at Lauren and saw her nodding in agreement.

“Either of you could have brought it up, but you didn’t,” Lauren pointed out.

“Yes…but…”

Gillian got distracted when she noticed movement across the room. Sam had stood up and was looking around the restaurant. Then he said something to his date and started walking in the direction of the restrooms.

“Oh no,” Gillian muttered.

“We should at least say hello,” Savannah said.

He’d have to pass near their table, but the restaurant was crowded, and Gillian hoped he wouldn’t spot them. She should have known better, though. He was naturally observant, and his eyes found hers among the crowd.

Savannah lifted her hand in a wave, and Lauren followed suit. Gillian just sat there and waited to see what he would do. He paused and looked conflicted. Then he briefly raised his hand and continued to the restroom.

Gillian sighed with relief and disappointment as he disappeared from view. Thankfully, the waiter appeared with their food, interrupting the scolding she’d been getting from her friends.

“I hope everything’s to your liking,” he said, mostly to Savannah.

“Everything looks delicious. Thank you,” she replied.

Apparently, Gillian’s dilemma had trumped Savannah’s fun flirtation, and she felt a twinge of guilt for dumping her problems on her friends. If only she’d refused to go out with them. Then none of this would have happened. She would have been saved from seeing Sam with his date, and Savannah could have flirted to her heart’s content.

They dug into their food, and Gillian was grateful for the reprieve. However, now she had an unobstructed view of Sam’s date. The woman was daintily eating a salad, but she didn’t seem very interested in eating. She was probably too busy thinking about Sam and what she wanted to do to him later.