Free Abound in Love by Rosemarie Naramore

The summers can
get warm, but then, it can get awfully warm here too … during the … summer.”
    “Of
course, you have real summers in Georgia, from what I understand.  And someone
told me you sometimes see sunshine well into autumn.”
    “True,”
Laura said.  “I do love the south.  The people, the sense of history…”
    Candace
sighed.  “I’ve often considered visiting, but…”
    Dan had
mentioned that too.  “I wish … you had,” Laura told her.
    Candace
drew silent and dropped her head, seemingly intent on studying the tabletop. 
Finally, she lifted her head and sought Laura’s eyes.  “Laura, I wanted to tell
you something.  I mean, the truth is…” 
    “Yes?”
    Suddenly,
Candace’s cell phone trilled in her purse.  She winced apologetically as she
tugged it out and checked the screen.  “Laura, will you excuse me for a
moment?”
    She
nodded, and Candace hurriedly rose and walked several steps away.  Laura could
just make out a bit of what her sister was saying.
    “How
much?” she asked eagerly, and then nodded briskly.  “Okay.  Yes.  I’ll be
there.”
    She
hurried back to the table.  “Laura, I’m … so, so sorry.  But I’m afraid I have
to go.  Something’s come up.  Do you think I could have a rain check?”
    “Uh,
sure,” Laura said.  What else could she say?  In truth, she could think of a
million replies.  For one—‘You asked me to dinner, Candace, and now you’re
leaving.  What’s more important than visiting with the sister you haven’t seen
in nearly eight years?’  Instead, she remained silent, and fixed an
understanding smile on her face.
    Candace
pulled a ten out of her purse and held it out to her.  “Laura, here’s ten for
dinner…”
    She
shook her head.  “No, please.  Don’t worry about it.”
    To her
surprise, Candace leaned forward and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  She
pulled her into a hug and then turned on her heel and dashed out of the
restaurant. 
    Laura
watched from the window as her older sister did an abrupt about-face and
re-entered the restaurant.  “Laura, I’m your ride.”  Her face was rife with
indecision.  “Is there any way you could…?”
    To her
credit, she looked utterly miserable.  “It’s okay,” Laura assured her.  “I’ll
find a way home.  I’ll call … Thomas.”
    “Oh,
Laura, I will make this up to you.  I promise.”
    Laura
watched her hurry out of the restaurant and to her car.  She started it and
sped out of the lot.
    Laura
couldn’t help wondering what was so critically important to her that she’d just
canceled dinner with her, and left her sitting, actually stranded, at a fast
food restaurant in the heart of Battle Ground.
    Lord
knew, she missed Georgia.
     
    ***
     
    With a
weary sigh, Laura rose from the table and left the fast food place.  She
checked her watch.  It was nearing seven.  She needed a ride home. 
    Unfortunately,
Thomas was on a much-needed night out with his fiancée, and she wasn’t about to
call him and force him to cut his evening short.
    Briefly,
she contemplated walking home, but dismissed the idea.  It was too cold, and it
would be dangerous walking along the country road in the dark. 
    She
wondered if Battle Ground had cab service and pulled her I-phone out of her
purse.  She was engaged in searching the Battle Ground directory, when a police
car pulled into the parking lot.  She didn’t notice it, until the passenger
window rolled down and a voice she recognized called her name.
    She
immediately spotted Dalton leaning across the passenger seat and watching her
with concern.  “Laura!” he called again.
    She
forced a smile as she crossed the distance between them.  “Hello.”
    He
raised his shoulders in question.  “What are you doing?  I thought you and
Candace…?”
    “Yeah,
that.”  She sighed.  “She got called away.”
    “Why
are you…?”
    “Standing
here?  Looking lost?”
    He
nodded.
    “Well,
since Candace