Silver Linings (14 page)

“I'd be happy to.”

Coco rolled her eyes. Angela made it sound as if she was doing Katie a favor by including her, when she should simply be grateful.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Katie leaned close to Coco. “What was that business about the swim team winning the regional championship? You know that isn't true.”

“You and I know it, but apparently Angela doesn't.”

“Why would you say something like that?”

Coco didn't answer. Frankly, she didn't like the way Angela had dismissed Katie as if she was someone unworthy of her attention. It irked her, and she'd wanted to put Angela in her place.

As they came into the room, there were high-top tables decorated with cardboard numbers of the year they'd graduated along with a sprinkling of those annoying confetti cutouts that people sometimes added to cards and invitations. Each table had four chairs.

“Do you know how many signed up for tonight?” Katie asked Coco, staying close to her side.

“No.” All Coco knew was that she'd caught sight of Ryan's name tag. Knowing him, he'd arrive late and make some kind of grand entrance. The mere thought of him playing the role of the hotshot was enough to make her want to puke.

“I saw James's name tag,” Katie whispered.

Coco heard the dread in her friend's voice. “Everything is going to work out…for both of us.”

“Yeah, right,” Katie muttered.

“Let's find a table and then get something to drink.” She was badly in need of liquid courage, and from the look of her, so was Katie.

They scouted out what looked to be the prime location, offering them a view of the staircase and those who arrived. “I'll get us each a glass of wine,” Katie offered.

“Sounds good,” Coco said, keeping an eye on the staircase.

“Honestly, I don't know if there's enough liquor in the world to see me through this night.”

Coco smiled. Her friend was overreacting. She suspected James was as eager to see her as Katie was to talk to him.

Katie walked over to the no-host bar and Coco made herself comfortable. She pulled out the chair and sat down. When she happened to look up it was just in time to see Ryan Temple walk into the room. In ten years he'd hardly changed a bit—if anything, he was more handsome. His shoulders had filled out, and naturally he'd brought a woman with him. And just as naturally, she was absolutely stunning—a model, no doubt. When the moment was right, this date of Ryan's would get to hear just what kind of guy Ryan really was.

Coco was a social butterfly and far more outgoing than Katie. While Coco fluttered about the room, visiting with friends, Katie sat quietly at the table sipping her drink.

She recognized several faces, mostly because they were the more outgoing and popular members of their graduating class. She wanted to keep an eye on the staircase when people were arriving, but Katie felt silly and a bit awkward sitting by herself.

A couple claimed the seats at a high-top close to Katie and looked as lost and uncomfortable as she did. Katie felt she should at least make an effort to look like she was enjoying herself.

“Hi,” she said, joining the two. “I'm Katie Gilroy.”

“Becca Cousins,” the other woman said. “And this is my husband, Troy.”

“Pleased to meet you both,” Katie said, keeping an eye on new arrivals.

“I'm sorry, I can't place you,” Becca said, as she rearranged an off-white shawl over her shoulders.

“No real reason you should,” Katie said. “I only attended classes our senior year.”

Becca studied her and bounced her finger against the tabletop. “Were you on the swim team?”

Katie smiled. “I was.”

“You dated James Harper, too, didn't you?”

A tingling sensation went down Katie's arms. Now she remembered why Becca looked vaguely familiar. She had lived on the same block as James. They'd been childhood friends.

Katie didn't get a chance to answer.

“It was you, wasn't it?”

She nodded. “James tutored me after school in algebra.”

Becca's husband looked bored and smiled apologetically as he interrupted their conversation. “Honey, would you like something to drink?” he asked, scooting back the chair as he stood.

“Please. A Diet Coke?”

“Got it.” Troy left them, cutting around the tables and chairs and heading toward the bar.

After her husband left, Becca leaned close to Katie. “James got in a huge fight over you. I remember it because James was never a fighter. Everyone was shocked to hear he'd been suspended from school.”

Katie could feel her face heating up, and while it might have been the wine, it was as much the memories. “The fight wasn't
over
me, really. James was defending me.”

A dreamy look came over the other woman. “That's love, you know. Real love. I think James fighting Brian O'Malley was probably the most romantic thing I ever heard. Brian was a horrible human being. He loved terrorizing anyone he thought might be weak. I think he must have gotten a sick sense of pleasure from picking on others. I can't think of a single person who liked Brian. No one ever stood up to him, because they were afraid.”

“Except James.”

“Right. He took a pounding, too, didn't he?”

He had and he'd done it for her. Every afternoon of his suspension Katie had made an excuse to stop by his house. His parents both worked outside the home, so it was only James and his sister at the house. Katie sat with him and they played computer games, and when his sister wasn't looking, James would kiss her. Because she suspected his mother might disapprove of her being at the house, Katie made sure she left before his parents were due home.

Caught up in the memories, Katie had to force her attention back to Becca. “What are you up to these days?” she asked, wanting to change the subject.

“I'm a mommy blogger. Troy and I have two children. I love that I'm able to be with Justin and Janese and writing about our life. I'm getting a following, too. What about you?”

“I work for the state as a social worker.”

Becca looked impressed. “I hope you don't mind me asking, but whatever happened with you and James? He was pretty hung up on you. He wasn't like some guys. The only girlfriend he ever had was you.”

Katie's stomach clenched, unsure how best to respond. “We went our separate ways shortly after graduation.”

“Really?” Becca's face showed surprise. “You two were pretty thick back then. I grew up with James, we went through junior high and high school together. Lots of girls were interested in him and he dated a few times, but you were the only girl who lasted more than a week or two.”

“Things happen.”

“That they do,” Becca agreed. “Breaking up must have been hard on you both.”

Katie couldn't deny the truth. “It was.” Harder than anyone realized. Becca wasn't telling her anything she didn't know about James. He wasn't like Ryan or any of the other boys she'd met. James was loyal and dedicated, serious and studious. And so incredibly smart. And yet out of all the girls in school, he'd chosen her. He'd loved her—deeply, profoundly loved her—more than anyone before, or since.

“I was in your old neighborhood this afternoon,” Katie said, striving to sound natural. “I noticed James's house is abandoned. Do you know what happened to his family?”

“From what my mom said, the shipyard transferred his dad to San Diego a few years back. A young couple bought the house during the housing boom and then lost it. Seeing it empty like that really bugs my parents. The house is a neighborhood eyesore. I don't know why the bank doesn't just sell it.”

Katie was glad to know that nothing bad had befallen James's parents.

Troy returned with their drinks and sat down next to his wife. Sipping a Shock Top, he glanced around the room and shifted uncomfortably. Katie understood. It must be difficult being with a group of people who all knew one another and feeling like an outsider. The only connection he had to these people was through his wife.

“I should probably say hello to a few of my friends,” Katie said, looking for an excuse to leave.

“Sure. Good chatting with you, Katie.”

“You, too, Becca.”

Katie wandered across the room, keeping an eye on new arrivals. Up to this point she hadn't seen James, and she was beginning to wonder if he would show. Her fear was that he'd gotten word that she'd signed up for the reunion and decided to stay away. Obviously, James wasn't one to back down from a confrontation, but then she didn't know him any longer. And he didn't know her, not the woman she'd become.

Katie found Coco, who was chatting with a group of women, none of whom Katie remembered. She joined the circle and Coco was quick to remind her friends who Katie was.

“Katie was on swim team with me.”

A chorus of “hi,” “good to see you” followed.

After a few minutes Coco broke away. “James arrive yet?” she asked the minute they were out of earshot of the other women.

“No. I'm beginning to think he'll be a no-show.”

“Have faith, my friend,” Coco said, giving her arm a small squeeze. “He'll be here.”

Katie admired Coco's confidence. With everything in her, she wanted to believe that, too.

“Ryan Temple's here,” Coco whispered, focusing her gaze on the other side of the room. “And just look at all the attention he's getting.”

Sure enough, when Katie glanced Ryan's way there was a circle of admirers gathered around him. Mostly men, Katie noticed, which might be attributed to the beautiful woman at his side.

“Looks like he's holding court,” Coco muttered.

Katie could understand their classmates' curiosity. Ryan played professional baseball and was something of a school legend.

Naturally, rumors abounded about what had happened with them the night of Homecoming, but Katie had never been one to listen to gossip and she'd never pressed Coco for details. All she knew for sure was that Coco had been the victim of a childish bet the boys on the football team had made. Coco had always been friendly to her, and when she didn't show up at school for a week following Homecoming, Katie had taken it upon herself to repay her friend in kind. They'd been good friends ever since.

“I saw you talking to Becca Holiday,” Coco mentioned.

“It's Becca Cousins now. She's married with two kids and is a mommy blogger.”

Coco shook her head. “That's great.”

Katie noticed a look in her friend that she didn't recognize. Katie knew Coco loved her work creating apps and had been successful beyond anything she'd expected or anticipated. What she saw was a look of longing for something more.

That brought up the question of what Katie herself wanted. If she was ever going to find out, she needed to make peace with James so she could move on.

She'd dwelled on this relationship for too long. She'd been a teenager when she fell in love with James and he was, too. She'd changed, times changed, and love changed. She didn't want to admit it, but there was every likelihood that they no longer had anything in common. All she could hope for was the opportunity to find out.

About thirty minutes after Katie and Coco arrived, the waitstaff started serving appetizers. They were snatched up quickly. Katie couldn't have swallowed a single bite if she'd tried, and she refused all offers. The food and the drinks flowed. After finishing her glass of wine, she ordered a second. Liquid courage. She would need it if and when James arrived.

Halfway through the evening, Katie couldn't bear not knowing any longer. She approached Angie Palmer, who continued to man the sign-in desk.

“Is everything all right?” Angie asked.

“Oh yes, it's a great party,” Katie assured her.

“The committee worked hard on getting the events organized. Of course, there were those who thought we could or should have chosen a different restaurant or a better menu. Several people complained about using the gym for Saturday night's function.”

“I…”

“I noticed not one of those who complained volunteered to be on the reunion committee, though. Isn't that just like people?”

“It is,” Katie agreed, figuring the less she said, the better.

“I want you to know a lot of effort went into this. I just hope my classmates appreciate everything Lily and I did.”

“How many were on the committee?” Katie asked, remembering a long list of names on the flyer that had been mailed out.

“Ten. But Lily Franklin and I did the majority of the organizing. The other eight all live in Cedar Cove. They volunteered to help, but we got one excuse after another. It seemed easier to do the majority of the work ourselves; it was plain we weren't going to be able to rely on anyone else. We put their names on the program, in appreciation for their support.

“By the way, would you happen to have the contact information for Karen Castillo? She was one we weren't able to locate.”

“No, sorry.”

“What about Jeremy McPherson?”

“No idea.” The only person Katie had kept in contact with was Coco.

Angie sighed with disappointment. “No one seems to know where they are or what they're doing. Lily and I put their names out hoping someone had kept in touch, but we never heard anything back.”

“If I hear news about either one I'll let you know,” Katie promised.

“It'd be appreciated.”

Katie glanced down at the table and eyed James's name tag. “I wanted to ask you about—”

“Did you know two of our classmates have died?” Angie said, cutting her off. “Two. I found that shocking. Darin Joseph died in a car crash two summers ago. She took a corner too fast and slammed into a tree. And of course everyone knows about Andrew Webs, who died in Afghanistan. Just tragic, both cases.”

“Tragic,” Katie agreed.

“Sorry, you started to ask me about someone?” Angie said, focusing her attention back on Katie.

“Yes. James Harper.”

“Oh yes, James. He was one of the first to sign up. His response card came in right away and then yours.” Angie reached for her iPad and scrolled through two or three screens. “Ah, here it is. He signed up for all three events. Tonight's social, tomorrow's dinner, and the picnic on Sunday.”

Katie had hoped that was the case.

“You wouldn't believe how many people were against holding the picnic at Manchester State Park on Sunday. In my mind, it's the perfect location, don't you agree?”