Sonja tried to smile but couldn’t because she had another confession to make. “I also learned the truth about Hazel Wright.”
Gran paused. “All of it?”
Sonja nodded.
“Then you know what’s being done is what must be done.”
She nodded again. “But Cyrus is awfully old. Do you think he still wants to hurt Ms. Jenkins”—she wiggled her head—“or Hazel Wright?” Calling Ms. Jenkins by another name felt weird.
“He’s an evil man, darling. But I fixed him.” Gran’s eyes narrowed in an expression Sonja had never seen from her before. “I fixed him good.”
“Wow. What did you do?”
Gran patted Sonja’s hand. “As you know, answers never come that easy. But I welcome you to put your investigator’s hat back on and go seek the answer.” She leaned closer to Sonja and lowered her voice. “But I guarantee it won’t be as easy this time.” She sat back. “Dora was never good at keeping secrets, nor keeping secret the fact that she’d spilled a secret.”
Sonja jerked her head back. “Wait, Dora told you about my visit?”
“Dora and I are still great friends.” She cracked a tiny smile. “And so are Hazel and I.”
Sonja recalled how Ms. Jenkins had looked at her from the courtyard earlier. “Ms. Jenkins knows I know, doesn’t she?”
“Yes.” Gran lifted her wine off the table. “You know, her annoying tenant facade was all my idea.”
Sonja’s mouth fell open. “What?”
“You were asking too many questions. You were on her tail just when I was putting the final nail in Cyrus’s coffin.”
Sonja felt intrigue flash through her. She would love to know exactly what her grandmother had done to “fix” the abusive man. But she closed her mouth and shook her head like a rattle. “Then Ms. Jenkins, or Hazel, isn’t a maniacal tenant who’s addicted to cats?”
Gran chuckled. “She’s indeed addicted to cats, but she’s not maniacal at all.”
Sonja grunted thoughtfully.
Her grandmother took a sip of wine. “I always knew the two of you were made for each other.”
Sonja tilted her head and frowned. “Ms. Jenkins and I?”
Gran lifted her eyebrows twice. “No, darling, you and Jay.”
Sonja couldn’t stop a grin from forming. “Then you approve?”
“Absolutely,” she said emphatically
Sonja went on to tell Gran about the last two days they’d spent rewriting the script, while leaving out all the sex they’d had. She mentioned Dexter, then she remembered to ask her grandmother if she’d ever heard of someone named Jack Lord.
Gran’s expression crashed into a frown. “Yes, why do you ask?”
Sonja almost felt as though she had stepped in deep shit by saying the man’s name. And she surely didn’t want to mention that the man who would be arriving soon for dinner, and was attracted to Robin, had a thing for the man’s wife. “Dexter knows him. Since you and Mr. Lord are successful in the same field, he thought you may know him too.”
Gran hummed thoughtfully. “I’m never surprised by how small the world is. You know, I had a conversation with Jack Lord on Friday. He’s offered to buy my company”—she raised her eyebrows as she tilted her glass toward Sonja—“and for a very large amount of money.” Gran took a drink.
Sonja felt her eyes grow wide. “But you’re not going to sell your company, are you?”
Gran took another drink. “I’ve been working my whole life. Brick by brick, building a tower that took me as far away from my roots as I could get. Maybe it’s time to stop and enjoy my handiwork, and that includes my beautiful granddaughters and the wonderful women you’ve all become.”
So many thoughts swirled in Sonja’s head as she took her first sip of wine. It was divine. Elaine always had the good stuff. “But what will you do if you don’t work?”
“I love golfing. I love the heat. I’ve been thinking about relocating to Palm Springs. I turn eighty years old next year. It’s about time I see the whole wide world before I’m ninety.”
Sonja pressed her lips together in a smile, but goodness, why was she so conflicted? Thinking about her grandmother somewhere out in the world where anything bad could happen to her did cause Sonja a bit of anxiety. But what her grandmother had said to her moments ago made so much sense. Sonja’s grandmother had been hurt to her core by Cyrus Wright, and yet Lorraine Hester had made it. She had excelled in more ways than one. To think of her grandmother running freely in the wind, still beautiful, so vivacious, and so full of great wisdom made Sonja’s heart swell with happiness.
So Sonja smiled from ear to ear as she tipped her glass toward Gran. “I think that’s a great plan. You should do it.”
Gran winked. “I just might.”
Guests rolled in fifteen minutes before seven. Sonja was so relieved to see Jay and Dexter arrive early. Just as she’d anticipated, Dexter and Robin’s eyes lit up when they ran into each other in the foyer.
Then Theresa arrived in a red dress that hugged every inch of her toned, celebrity trainer’s body. When they made their way to the table for the starter course, she insisted on sitting next to Jay and kept touching his shoulder, arm, or hand whenever she engaged him in any sort of conversation. It was her standard behavior and it had never bothered Sonja in the past, but it did then.
Sonja had the misfortune of sitting next to Gary, Elaine’s current fiancé. He always seemed slightly tipsy, although she wasn’t sure if he had actually had a few or if it was his usual disposition. Regardless, she’d never seen how he was in the least bit compatible with Elaine. Sonja sneezed because his stinky, strong cologne was almost as bad as Ms. Jenkins’s cats.
Robin and Dexter ended up sitting across from each other, and both of them tried like crazy to avoid gazing into the other’s eyes.
As they were being served the second course, which was a cucumber and melon salad, Theresa revealed that she had an announcement. “I’m moving to Seattle.”
“And for what reason might that be?” Elaine asked in a deadpan tone.
“Job,” Theresa said, apparently irritated by Elaine’s question.
“You do know the sun hardly shines there and the lack of sunlight will depress you.”
“Of course you’re going to squat and shit on my future.”
“This is the dinner table and we have guests,” Gran warned.
Theresa rolled her eyes.
“But really, Terry, what sort of job is taking you to Seattle?” Robin asked.
“I’m going into business with a friend. We’re opening a fitness super center.”
“Carly?” Elaine asked cynically.
“Yes.”
“Didn’t she screw your last boyfriend?”
Theresa huffed.
“Didn’t she?” Robin asked.
Theresa rolled her eyes as she wiggled her head. “Yes, but she’s a hell of a trainer, and this is all about business.”
“Her actions speak to her character,” Elaine said.
Theresa threw her hands up. “Why are you shitting on my parade, Laney?”
Elaine calmly wiped the corners of her mouth with a cloth napkin. “I’m not. I just think you’re not making a smart decision, and I suspect you’re partnering with her because she has money and you need some.”
Theresa shrugged defiantly.
“I’ll give you the money and we’ll go into business together,” Elaine said and then rang the bell for the third course. “And I won’t fuck your boyfriends.”
Theresa opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. “Really?”
Elaine shrugged. “Diversify our assets, right, Gran?”
“That’s right,” Gran sang.
“All right,” Theresa said as she picked up her glass of wine and tilted it toward Elaine. “First thing in the morning, Carly gets the boot.”
Elaine raised her glass too. “Good. Come by my office at eleven. We’ll hammer out contracts and shit.”
“I’ll be there.”
They both drank to that.
“I’m selling the house,” Gran announced out of the blue.
Sonja was the only one of her sister and cousins who looked at Gran with a smile.
“And the business,” Gran added.
Robin gasped. “The business?”
“And I’m moving to Rancho Mirage.”
Theresa, Robin, and Elaine were still staring at Gran, speechless.
“Wow, Ms. Hester, you’ve lived in that house for as long as I can remember,” Jay said. “It’s going to be strange driving through that neighborhood and knowing you’re not there.”
“Gran, you can’t sell that house. Our memories are there. It’s where we grew up,” Theresa said.
“Yes, you grew up. We all have.” Gran’s eyes smiled as she looked around the table. “I look at you women, and I’m so proud of you.”
“We’re proud of you too, Gran,” Robin said.
“I know you are. But I’m done making you proud. For the remaining years of my life, I’m going to make myself happy.”
The room fell so quiet that they could have heard a pin drop.
“Wow,” Jay finally said. “Good for you, Ms. Hester.”
“It’s Lorraine, Jay darling. As I said, we’re all grown up.”
He cleared his throat. “Good luck on your future happiness, Lorraine.”
“But what about the coffee shop and the complex?” Robin asked.
“I have a novel idea,” Theresa said and pressed her finger against her lips animatedly. “Robbie, why don’t you just do one thing? Just your art.”
“I can’t count on that.”
“Bullshit. You sell everything you make.”
“I’d like to see your art,” Dexter said.
Robin looked at him with wide, conflicted eyes. “Let’s just change the subject.” She looked at the table just as one of the servers collected her plate.
“Well, is anyone going to mention the elephant in the room?” Elaine asked.
“Elephant?” Sonja’s stomach tied itself into knots because she figured Elaine wanted her to spill the news about her recent trip to Midland.
“Sonja and Jay are an item,” Elaine announced.
Sonja stifled a sigh of relief.
“Really?” Theresa leaned away from Jay. “Why the hell didn’t you say something?” She glared at Sonja then turned her pinched expression back to Jay. “Or you?”
“Why don’t you just stop flirting with every pretty thing that has a penis?” Elaine said.
“I don’t flirt.”
“Ha!” Elaine scoffed. “Anyway, this night is about sending our little bird out into the world to kick ass. How about a speech before we dig into our main course?”
Sonja sneezed as the last person was served. Her allergies had reached their breaking point with Gary’s cologne. “First”—she looked at Theresa—“could we switch seats?” She sneezed again.
Theresa grimaced at Gary, who threw his hands up and said, “What is it?”
Sonja hated that he talked like a wise guy from a mobster movie.
“Your cologne, baby,” Elaine said. “Sonja has allergies.”
“But she likes my cologne. I’ve worn it around her before.”
By Elaine’s narrowed eyes and pinched lips, Sonja could tell that her sister did not like what her fiancé had said. She snapped her fingers at the servers. “Switch their plates.”
“It stinks, dude,” Theresa said as she got up to make the switch.
Once Sonja was in Theresa’s old chair, she and Jay squeezed hands under the table. Being seated next to him as the servers finished resetting her plate felt so good.
“Well, Jay, you’ve got our girl, so don’t fuck up,” Theresa said.
Jay’s eyes sparkled as he said, “I don’t plan on it.”
He and Sonja kissed for the audience, and Theresa, Elaine, and Robin clapped while Gran watched with a delighted smile.
“Okay now, speech,” Robin said.
Sonja had no idea what to say. Her eyes fell on her sister’s and cousins’ faces before landing on Gran’s. They had guests tonight, but she couldn’t think of a better send-off than a crazy Hester girl dinner. Then suddenly, the right words dropped into her head.
“I don’t know…” She dropped her face for a moment to simper. “I’m just happy to be here with all of you. I feel as though we’re all on the precipice of change. Gran picked up our mother’s slack.” Sonja tilted her glass of wine to Gran, who was sitting opposite Elaine at the head of the table.
Everyone else at the table followed Sonja’s lead.
“To Gran’s handiwork,” Sonja said then winked at her grandmother.
“To Gran’s handiwork,” they all repeated.
And everyone drank to that.
If you loved “Once Friends,” then don’t miss “Now Lovers.”
Let me keep you informed about new releases, free books and first looks! join my mailing list today.
Click on the image below to sign up.
Also by Z. L. Arkadie
*Contemporary Romance Series*
LOVE in the USA (The Hesters)
Once Friends (A Hollywood Love Story) Sonja & Jay #1
Now Lovers (A Hollywood Love Story) Sonja & Jay #2
And more to come!
LOVE in the USA (The Lords)
Find Her, Keep Her - A Martha’s Vineyard Love Story, Book 1
There’s Something About Her, A Manhattan Love Story, Book 2
Say You Love Her, An LA Love Story, Book 3
Know Her, Love Her (Daisy & Belmont, #1), Book 4
Still In Love With Her (Maggie & Vince, #1), Book 5
Explore Her, More of Her (Daisy & Belmont, #2), Book 6
Made To Like Her (Maggie & Vince, #2), Book 7
He’s So Bad: A San Francisco Love Story, Book 8
Made To Love Her (Maggie & Vince, #3) Book 9
He’s So Good (Robert & Carter) Book 10
Say You Love Me (Charlie & Angel) Book 11
Adore Her, More of Her (Daisy & Belmont, #3) Book 12
Her Perfect Man
Authors Z.L. Arkadie & T.R. Bertrand
The Boss’ Desire
The Artist’s Love
The Professor’s Heart
The Chef’s Passion
*Romantic Suspense Series*
The Sterlings
Secrets & Chance, Book 1
Revelations, Book 2
Forever and Ever, Book 3
The Secret Keeper, Book 4
*Paranormal Romance Series*
Parched
Parched Book 1
The Seventh Sister
Quenched Book 2
The Fifth Sister
Ignite (Includes “Light Speed”) Book 3
Vanquish, Book 4
Steal With A Kiss, Book 5
Forget Me Never (Pt. I) Book 6
Forget Me Never (Pt. 2) Book 7
About the Author
I’m a city girl/desert rat born and raised in Southern California, who grew up loving to daydream. I’ve traveled a lot and lived in different cities around the country, which taught me how different we all are. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that we are all more than cliches and stereotypes, and I write to capture our truths in my stories.
I also love to cook. I love a fine dining experience, you know Top Chef style, but without the fine dining price tag. And I love a good book that has the power to take me someplace I’ve never been. But most of all, I love authentic displays of kindness within myself and others.
For more information:
zlarkadiebooks.com
[email protected]
grayscale(100%); -moz-filter: grayscale(100%); -o-filter: grayscale(100%); -ms-filter: grayscale(100%); filter: grayscale(100%); " class="sharethis-inline-share-buttons">share
Once Friends Page 15