Georgia on Her Mind(22)

I grin. “As long as you don’t kill each other.”

“That’s the goal. He keeps to his tax law, I keep to corporate. And we never bring work home.”

“Sounds like a plan.” I know she did not call to discuss her law practice, so I wait.

“I had an interesting call a few minutes ago from Austin Ramirez.”

Ah! Austin Ramirez. “What did he say?” I drop my head against the back of the chair.

“Apparently you made quite an impression on him,” she says in a singsong, I-know-something-you-don’t-know voice.

“Yeah, we had a nice…chat.”

“He was asking me all about you. He asked for your number, but I wanted to check with you first. Are you still dating that guy?”

That guy. I lift my head. “No, I’m not dating Chris anymore. Austin wants my number?”

“He doesn’t date much, Macy, so you must have really made an impression on him. He’s very particular.”

We verify home, office and cell, then say goodbye, promising to get together for lunch soon. We know we won’t, but it makes us feel good to pretend.

I work until six forty-five on the Holloway proposal. It required a second review after Mike added his recommendations.

Tonight the Single Saved Sisters are meeting in the mall at seven for dinner. Adriane had a hankering for Barney’s Coffee and Asian Chow.

I shut down my laptop. So Austin wanted my number. I wonder if he’s called already. With my heart fluttering, I check my home answering machine. No messages. I double-check to make sure my cell phone is on and that the battery is charged.

Sigh. I grab my bag and click off my office light. I’m sure he’ll call. Right. Later. He’s probably busy.

Of course he’s busy. I like my men to be busy. He’ll call. I’m sure he will.



In the food court Tamara spots me and points to our saved table. She and Adriane are in line at Asian Chow buying our dinners and Lucy is at the Barney’s window.

I stand in line for a large Diet Coke to go with my garlic chicken and fried rice.

Once we are all seated and Tamara has offered thanks for our food, I lightly clap my hands to get their attention.

“I have news.”

“Good or bad?” This from Adriane. “It’s been mostly bad from you lately.”

Snarl, she’s right. “Good news. Austin Ramirez called Beka for my number.”

“Girl, no way. He’s gorgeous.”

“When did you see him? Have you been holding out on me?”

“Who’s Austin Ramirez?”

Lucy, Tamara and I gawk at Adriane. Tamara snaps her hands in front of Adriane’s face. “On the count of three, wake up and behold, life.”

Adriane spears a teeny miniature piece of chicken. She’s convinced there are fewer calories in smaller chunks. “Your sarcasm is really getting to me, Tamara.”

Lucy takes over. “Austin is that hunky Latino from Beka and Chuck’s wedding, A. You remember him. All the girls wanted to sit with him, but he picked the bachelor’s table.”

“So, he called you?” Adriane looks at me.

“Well, no, not exactly. But Beka said he wants to call me.”

Adriane lifts her chin. “Ah, so there’s really nothing to be excited over.”

“Well, no, not really.” And her point is?

Tamara hooks an arm around our friend’s shoulders. “I’m sorry for, you know, the sarcasm.”

Adriane looks over at her with a small smile. “I know. Look, you guys, I want to behold life again, but I can’t seem to get past the hurt of Travis.” Adriane reaches across for my napkin and dabs under her eyes.

“You’ll get past it.” Tamara brushes Adriane’s bangs away from her eyes. “Take all the time you need. And when I get too mouthy, just slap me or something. Gently.”

We laugh the laugh of relief. I get up for a fresh stack of napkins. We seem to be going through ours tonight.

“I know what your problem is, Adriane,” I say, plopping down the napkins.

“What?” She peels a napkin from the pile.

“You just haven’t met the right man.”

Tamara jabs her fork in my direction. “You’re right, Macy.”

“How’s meeting the right man going to fix my trust problem?” Adriane wads up her napkin and reaches for another.

I glance at Lucy before explaining. “Look, Luce and I have a friend back home, Emily. Beautiful girl. The kind with porcelain skin and sky-blue eyes.”

“Lovely person,” Lucy interjects.

I go on. “Guys flocked around her in high school and college. She’d go out with them one time, then dump ’em, breaking their hearts. When they passed her in the hall or across campus, she’d turn up her nose.”

Lucy takes up the tale. “Then she met Greg. One date and she knew.”

Adriane smiles. “She met the right one.”

“Exactly.” I pound the mall table. “They were engaged five months later and now they have three of the cutest little kids ever.”

“When you meet the man God has for you, the trust issue won’t be an issue,” Lucy says.

Adriane shoves the tiny cuts of chicken around her plate. “There’s no Emily, is there?”