Free Up All Night Long: From Lust to Love (Romance Anthology) by Ali Parker

me hungry."
    Kari turned to look at her. "Oh no. We didn't have lunch, did we?"
    Sicily held up an empty bag of Cheetos. "Not sure about you, but I had the lunch of champions."
    Kari laughed and stretched, rolling up the window and looking out the front of the car as the sun sat heavy on the far side of the sky. "Do you think we're setting ourselves up for failure by wanting this place to be everything we need it to?"
    Sicily sat quiet for a minute, Kari finally turning toward her to make sure she heard the question.
    "Yes and no, I guess. I mean if we never hoped for something better or demanded something new, then what would that say about our sense of adventure? I think taking on something like this - a move across the country into a place so crazy different than we're used to is the perfect way to shake things up a little."
    "Do you think we'll stay here forever or move back home in a few years?" Kari asked, pulling her legs into the seat with her as she wrapped her arms around her knees.
    "I think that depends on who we meet and what our new jobs look like."
    "Are you excited about your bakery?" Kari asked, a smile lifting her lips as Sicily smiled in unison.
    "It's always been a dream of mine. I've worked in several bakeries, but never owned anything of my own. I want to try out a hundred different recipes on my customers." She beamed and Kari couldn't help but smile harder.
    "I'm so excited for you."
    "I'm excited for you. You get to try all of my good stuff and you get to pick the color palate for the shop. I need you to design me a logo and take pictures of my creations for my website." Sicily's voice sped up, her excitement almost palatable.
    "Whoa... slow down. You had me at being your chief taste tester, but colors and graphics?" Kari pulled air in quickly between her teeth, the soft whistle causing Sicily to frown.
    "I know we didn't go to school together when we were younger, but I've heard Lisa talk about your talent. Why did you let it go?"
    Kari shrugged. "I guess I just thought it was a silly waste of time. I had to figure out how to make a living and painting wasn't it. Photography isn't much better, but I guess moving toward being a reporter will help."
    Sicily turned on the blinker, pulling off the freeway on their exit behind Marc. She glanced over at Kari. "You don't want to be a reporter?"
    Kari shook her head. "No, not at all. I hate asking people questions and interviewing random strangers. I'd rather take pictures or even paint them. Half the fun is pulling people's heart strings because you've created something that seems impossible simply because of the beauty it inspires."
    Sicily smiled and nodded. "I'm going to help you see the possibility of doing just that."
    Kari laughed. "That would be great, but I have an interview at the paper tomorrow at lunch. I'm thinking a reporter is where I'm headed."
    "For now."
    "For now?" Kari looked over at her friend.
    "Yeah, for now. You be a reporter until we work on how to unlock your creative side again and then you move toward being who you were created to be." Sicily shrugged.
    "You really believe people were created to be something specific?"
    Sicily pointed to the small red-brick schoolhouse across the street from the stoplight they sat at. "I believe it completely. You're gifted, so use it. Look at that cute little school. It's a junior high, but looks like a mini-library."
    Kari leaned forward and watched the small figures outside in the yard running to and fro, their bodies too small to determine size, but they seemed busy, occupied. Kari picked up her phone as it buzzed, Lisa informing them that it was only four miles up the road by the water.
    Kari relayed the message before dropping her phone in her purse and sitting back, the need for a long restful afternoon pressing against her.
    "Let's unpack tomorrow?" Sicily asked quietly. "I'm tired."
    "I couldn't agree more."
     
    *
     
    "Alright, you guys ready to unpack?" Marc clapped his hands as he