nerve to ask for his help last time. She needed something to present to Danni and
her team at Garman this week, and so far she was still stuck with Penny the cartoon cow who looked like she'd been sniffing too many flocculates, whatever
they were.
Carol sat down across the table. “My sewing group is coming this morning. I
hope that won't interfere with your work?”
“Don't be silly. I'm the guest here. This is your house. I can always find a spot at the library. What kind of sewing project are you working on? A quilt?”
“The Thread Heads are taking a break from sewing today. We're finalizing some details for the carnival at the Community Center next week.”
Kate looked up from the list of Nitrovex products she was studying for inspiration. Maybe lightning would strike. Who knew? “The Community Center
sounds like it means a lot to you.”
Carol shrugged. “It means a lot to the community.”
Kate didn't understand the attachment to Golden Grove. “Why not travel, see
the world? Take a cruise, or go to Europe?”
“Oh, Katie, that's not me. Besides, all my friends are right here—always have been. Why would I want to go anywhere else?”
Why would anyone not want to be anywhere else? Sure, Golden Grove had
charm up the wazoo, but even charm gets boring after a while. Right? No
Starbucks, no theater, no museums, no skipping work to watch the Cubs playing a day game at Wrigley. Only about five restaurants, if you didn't count the Stop-n-Pop and its microwave burritos. Which she never, ever would. There was Ray's, of course, and his one-of-a-kind shakes. Forgotten how awesome those were. And Copperfield's Bookstore, where they used to order a out-of-print art books for her even though it probably didn't make them much money. And parking free instead of paying thirty bucks for a morning.
Okay, so maybe not everything about Golden Grove was bad.
Carol took a sip of coffee “So, are you planning to drop-in on Peter again tonight? It seemed like a success last weekend. I didn't even hear you come in.”
Here we go, right on schedule.
“I was home by eight-thirty,” she lied.
“Oh? Did he help you with your project?”
“We never quite got around to chemistry, actually.”
Carol did more coffee stirring. “Oh?” There seemed to be a lot implied in that one syllable.
“We kind of got sidetracked. He's tearing down his old tree house.”
“Yes, I noticed that this week.” Carol continued to study her.
“We just…talked.”
“Well, I'm glad you too are becoming reacquainted. You know, sometimes
old friends are the best.”
“I'm sure Peter already has lots of friends.” Kate tapped a few computer keys. Better check her email.
“You might be surprised. It's just not good going through life feeling like you've missed out on something good, believe me.” Carol was staring at her coffee cup, stroking the rim. There was something beyond that motherly gibe.
Kate couldn't help but feel curious. “Did you miss out on something in particular?”
Carol didn't speak for a moment. “Oh, nothing. I should leave you to your work.”
“No, really. What is it?” She could tell something was on Carol's mind.
She'd been getting these wistful hints on her last two visits, too.
She finally spilled. “Oh, it was a long time ago, and we were both in high school. Like you and Peter were. But it's fine.”
“You and Percy?”
“No, this was before Percy and I ever met.”
Oh. Normally, she might have teased her friend, but this seemed different.
She closed her laptop lid. “C'mon, you can tell me.”
“No, I've already said too much. Besides, we were a lot younger then. We
