Free A Second Chance by Ellen Wolf Page B

had known her friend long enough to predict that she would come around when the time was right , and there was no point in trying to hurry her before she was ready.
     

Four
    They found Laura’s little red Honda and were soon rolling out of the hospital’s parking lot, merging into the midday traffic . Jade listened to Laura’s and Liam’s cheerful bickering, his upbeat attitude rubbing off on his sister. Jade didn’t say much , still a bit shaken from the unexpected encounter with the man she had hoped not to see for a long time . She wondered what the next best move would be for her. Since Liam was here, Laura did not need her company anymore. She had planned on staying for another five days, but suddenly it didn’t seem like such a great idea. Liam’s constant presence would undermin e her carefully maintained peace of mind. She would tell Laura that she must leave sooner , but she was temporarily short on promising excuses that would justify her sudden rush to depart. Well, she would come up with something, she thought optimistically , as she watched Liam’s back from her seat.
    Perhaps he felt her eyes through the thin fabric of his shirt, because suddenly he turned around with a wide infectious grin . ‘ Would you mind if we took a little detour, Jade? I know that Laura won’t mind, but I don’t want to drag you along if you have other plans.’
    ‘Nope.’ She smiled back, eager to appear cool . ‘ Where are we going?’
    She didn’t know the city at all, her short few drives around Laura’s neighborhood the only opportunity she had so far to do any sight - seeing. It was lovely , as far as she could tell. The Marina D istrict was absolutely charming with its white Mediterranean -style houses and parks that invited one to take a stroll and gaze on the stunningly blue water of the ocean. She loved watching the forest of masts bo bbing gently up and down as the sleek, powerful yachts waited to leave for some exotic destination. The proximity of the financial district didn’t take away any of the almost magical beauty of the area, the picturesque views of the water balancing perfectly with the more modern, business - oriented vibe of the central location. 
    Laura was living in one of those cute, narrow homes with tiled , sun - baked roofs and pastel - colored walls. Her one - bedroom studio cost an arm and a leg to rent, but she confessed to Jade she would rather juggle two jobs tha n lose her spectacular view of the Golden Gate . Jade knew how much it meant to her friend to be able to support herself without any help from her mom. Money was never lacking in the Latimer family, Laura’s mom providing a lifestyle of which other children could only dream.
    Still, the money had n’t compensate d for her constant absence when they were growing up . Laura’s grandmother and aunt had practically rais ed the kids themselves . Right now , Laura’s mother was sharing her time between her studio in New York and the house she owned in Sea Cliff, the most prestigious are a of San Francisco. Yet Laura decided she would rather have her own place th a n share her mother’s five - bedroom , three - thousand - square - foot home.
    Jade loved every square inch of Laura’s eclectic, cheerful apartment. The earthy tones of the walls and vibrant tropic al pictures created a perfect backdrop to the rattan furniture and paper screens decorated with oriental scenes of countryside and misty mountains. P iles of books were everywhere — preca riously balanced towers of numerous volumes that defied gravity and common sense. Laura had always been an avid reader and collector, and her ever-expanding library had spilled long ago from the constraints of bookcases and shelves.
    ‘We’ll see th e house I was talking about . ’ Liam ’s long - fingered, elegant hands maneuvered the wheel with ease as they wove their way up north. ‘I just had a brilliant idea. Aren’t you working as a n interior designer these days ?’
    She