Sarah was alarmed when she saw the time on her clock. Her cell phone was ringing, and it wasn't even 6 A.M. Who'd be calling this early? She reached over and looked at her phone. It was Sydney. She flipped it open not sure what to expect."Hello?""Hey, Lynni." He sounded calm enough."Everything okay?""Yeah," he said. "Sorry for calling so early. I couldn't sleep.""Why? What's wrong?" In all the years she'd known him, she knew the only times he couldn't sleep were when he was stressing about something. She sat up and plopped a pillow behind her."Nothing's wrong."Sarah knew that tone. "Sydney, you're stressing about something. You should know better than to try and hide it from me."There was silence on the other end then a sigh. "I can't stop thinking about you and Angel," he said. "Are you sure you're going to be okay coming back here?"Sarah frowned. It had been over two weeks since she and Angel had made love for the first time. She kept it from Sydney for a while, not
SarahSarah he started getting ready just after five. Valerie helped her with her hair. Sarah's hair was fairly straight, but Valerie said straightening it even more would make it look extra sleek and super sexy.Sarah watched Valerie through the bathroom mirror as she concentrated on the flat iron she held in Sarah's hair. "So how was it last night with Alex? You two looked real chummy."Valerie glanced up at the mirror and shrugged. She continued concentrating on Sarah's hair. "I think he turned his phone off or put it on vibrate 'cause it didn't go off once last night. I tried to resist him as long as I could, but it's so damn hard. I didn't sleep with him though. I told him I'm not doing that anymore. So he asked if it was because of Reggie. I told him, 'No, it's because it hurts too much.' Then he made a stupid joke apologizing for his size."Valerie's expression was disgusted, but Sarah couldn't help laughing. Alex was too funny."Stop," Valerie said. "You're gonna make me b
SarahSarah was both shocked and overwhelmed with joy when she saw Sydney. She hadn't realized how much she'd missed him until she felt the emotion in his hug.She had had so many questions for him she almost forgot Angel was going to be there any minute. She'd felt so rotten having to lie the way she had. But she knew there was no way Angel was ready to meet Sydney—not like this. It would be a slap in the face. She needed to explain everything to both of them before she could have them meet.This whole mess was her fault, and now it threatened to blow up in her face. After being a nervous wreck all day, she now felt on the verge of a meltdown.Sydney said he wanted to talk to her, and she had a feeling it wasn't going to be a short conversation. The only places she knew were places Angel had taken her. All of which were frequented by everyone from school.There was no way she was taking him to her and Angel's special place. So she decided to go to a place further down the beach w
Angel stood still for a moment. He knew it couldn't be, but Romero sounded so convinced. He took in what he'd just heard, then shook his head and started walking again. "Nah, dude," he said. "She's babysitting for her neighbors right now.""Call her then," Romero said.Romero's dogged tone made him uncomfortable. He was so sure. Angel stood quiet for a moment."Did she see you?" What was he doing? This was ridiculous. There was no way Sarah would be out with another guy. He trusted her."No," Romero said."I didn't see shit!" Eric yelled in the background."Yeah, well, he would've if he didn't drive like a girl. By the time we turned back, they were gone," Romero said.They'd actually gone back to check? Angel picked up the phone at the hostess desk without mentioning it to Romero."So what was she doing?" He dialed Sarah's cell phone number."Talking, I guess," Romero said. "I saw her as we passed the car, and I had to do a double take, but Eric was driving so fast and wouldn
Even as Angel had driven into the parking lot and seen the yellow Impala parked in front of the café, he'd held out hope that this was all one big mistake.He'd parked next to Eric's car where he saw Eric and Romero standing. Eric motioned to the window of the café as Angel approached them.It was her.And she looked unbelievably seductive. She sat there gazing attentively into another guy's eyes. Angel had watched disgusted as she reached across the table and held his hand, and he noticed her cleavage was out there like he'd never seen it before in public.Eric and Romero filled him in on how they spotted the car leaving the beach and followed them to this secluded hole in the wall. Sarah wasn't stupid. She just hadn't counted on dumb and dumber spotting her.Now, standing here staring into her startled eyes, he searched for answers. Her once beautiful green eyes, that normally gazed at him so brightly and with such emotion, were almost gray. And all he saw in them was fear and w
"I have to go after him!" Sarah pleaded, as she ran toward Sydney. An older couple walking to their car stared at her with concern. The tears streamed down her cheeks, and she knew her face was a mess, but she didn't care about any of that. She pulled her cell phone out of her purse and started dialing Angel's number frantically."I wouldn't, Sarah." Eric said as she walked by him.Sarah turned to look at him and tried to catch her breath. "But I have to."Eric shook his head. "I've known Angel all my life, and I've never seen him like that.""Yeah, no shit," Romero said. "That was bad."Sarah wiped her face and tried desperately to regain her composure. "But that's why I have to talk to him and explain. He just doesn't understand." She turned to Sydney. "Please take me to him.""Whatever you want, Lynni." Sydney put his hand on her shoulder."Who the fuck is Lynni?" Romero asked, disgusted. "Hey, easy." Eric frowned."I'm just wondering did she lie about her name too?" Romer
Angel waited impatiently for the light to turn green. He was already regretting having agreed to this. But he hadn't been able to stop thinking about Dana's call that night. Breaking up with Sarah was, without a doubt, the hardest thing he'd ever done, and he wanted to make sure he wasn't making a mistake. But when he called Dana this morning, she insisted she wanted to talk to him in person.Alex agreed to cover for him at the restaurant, even telling him to take his time and enjoy—as if he'd be able to enjoy anything the way he was feeling. He hoped Dana would keep it short and to the point. He was in no mood for much more. He was so tired from the lack of sleep the last couple of nights, and just thinking about Sarah made him want to bang the steering wheel.He picked Dana up, and she announced she wasn't very hungry, but she could go for coffee, so they went to Starbucks. She talked all the way there but not about anything he wanted to hear. As soon as they got their coffee, he c
The restaurant stayed busy all day. The week before Christmas always was that way with a lot of the local businesses holding their company Christmas parties there. It kept Angel busy though did little to jolt his ominous mood.He never realized how many songs had to do with lost love and broken hearts until now. He'd found himself switching the channel on his car continuously—sometimes abruptly turning it off all together, thoroughly disgusted with the lump in his throat.He'd finally turned his phone back on only to find it loaded with unheard messages and texts. Not all were from Sarah, but he cleared them all anyway. Angel wasn't about to chance inadvertently hearing Sarah's voice or reading a partial text of hers. Even that was too painful.The brunch rush was over, and the restaurant was enjoying a very short break. The afternoon crew had arrived and was getting things ready for the dinner parties that evening.Sarah's absence was glaringly obvious, so Angel had filled in his