by Lisa Moreau
“In a week. I’ll find out the results of the GED on Tuesday. If I don’t pass, then I can kiss my chance of ever working at my dream job.”
“You’ll pass.”
Emily had more faith in Sydney than anyone she’d ever known, even more than Sydney herself. Sydney dropped her gaze to Emily’s soft-looking, full lips. Did she use lipstick, or were they naturally a luscious shade of red? When Emily licked her lips, Sydney flicked her eyes upward. Hopefully she hadn’t noticed Sydney staring.
Geez. Pull it together. Someone shows you a little kindness, and you go all gooey.
Sydney slid a few inches away from Emily and sat on her hands.
“What hangs you up the most?” Emily asked, her nose stuck in a book.
“Everything. How am I supposed to remember all these dates? Who the hell knows when the Boston Tea Party was? And don’t even get me started on algebra. I’m totally lost there.”
Emily looked at Sydney with those gorgeous russet eyes. “Have you ever heard of mnemonics?”
“No. What’s that?”
“A device that helps with memorization. It helped me a lot through school.”
“I’m up for anything. How’s it work?”
“One method is to use rhymes. Like…’59 was the date when Alaska and Hawaii became new states. Or 1773 was the date of the Boston Tea Party, so just think ’73 is heavenly tea.”
“Oh. I get it. What are some others?”
“Let’s see what else I can remember.” Emily stared into space before her face lit up. “Ooh. This was one of my favorites. My very excited mother just served us nachos.”
“What the heck is that supposed to mean?” Sydney pulled her eyebrows together.
“That’s a way to remember all the planets. Look at the first letter of each word. Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and so forth.”
“That’s cool. What else?”
“I’m here to help, not do all your work for you. You come up with one. How would you remember the properties of matter? Mass, density, volume, and weight.”
Sydney gazed up at the clouds. “Umm…how about…models diet very well.”
Emily laughed. “Excellent. And probably very true.”
“This isn’t so hard after all. But I still have a lot to learn.”
“We have two days. Don’t worry. You’ll be ready.”
We? Sydney had never been a “we” before. She liked the sound of it. It made her feel stronger, more confident, as though she and Emily could scale Mount Everest together. Sydney closed her eyes and shook her head. The next thing you know she’d be belting out “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.” Okay. That just proved it. She was most certainly PMSing.
Chapter Twelve
The Pink Moment
Emily placed both hands on Sydney’s shoulders—her very firm, well-defined shoulders—and looked directly into her eyes—her stunning, anxiety-filled eyes. “You couldn’t be any more prepared after cramming for two days straight. Did you get any sleep last night?”
Sydney shrugged. “A little.”
“Just relax.” Emily gently shook Sydney’s shoulders and dropped her arms. “You’ve got this.”
Emily wanted to wipe the concern from Sydney’s eyes. She had a better chance of passing the test if she wasn’t so stressed. More than anything, Emily wanted success for Sydney. She had a feeling this was about more than just the PowerBar audition. Not having a high school diploma undoubtedly fed into Sydney’s feelings of inadequacy. If Sydney’s mother was standing in front of Emily right now she’d…she’d…well, she wasn’t sure what she’d do since she wasn’t a violent person, but she’d certainly do something to the awful woman.
“How long is the test?” Emily asked.
“Seven hours. I better go. It’s an hour’s drive to Santa Barbara, and you never know about traffic on the 101.” Sydney grabbed her bag off the kitchen counter and slung it over her shoulder.
“Hey,” Emily said, which caused Sydney to stop halfway through the swinging doors. “Pudgy elves may demand a snack.”
Sydney grinned, which lightened Emily’s heart. “That’s the mnemonics for the mathematical order of operations. Parenthesis, exponents, multiplication, division, addition, subtraction.”
“Go get ’em.” Emily smiled and watched Sydney leave with a swagger in her step.
Emily poured herself a second cup of coffee and looked at the clock. The test started at nine, which meant it’d be over at four, so Sydney wouldn’t be home until five at the earliest. That was nine hours away. Emily rubbed sweaty palms on the legs of her lovebird PJs. Waiting that long would be torture.
Expertly balancing coffee, laptop, and cell phone in both hands, she went into the living room and settled onto the couch. This wouldn’t be fun, but she really needed to call Gretchen since they hadn’t talked all weekend. She’d want to know Emily’s lovebird progress, and she had absolutely nothing to report aside from the fact that she was now a criminal who was being blackmailed by a burrito-and-bait salesman. Emily pressed the speed dial, Gretchen answering on the first ring and getting right to the point.
“How’s it going?”
“No ‘good morning’ first?” Emily asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“Our mothers are driving me crazy. When are you coming back?”
Emily massaged her temple. “As soon as I can. I’ll see Fran day after tomorrow.”
Silence.
“Gretch?”
More silence.
“You still there?”
“Do you not want to get married?” Gretchen’s voice sounded strained, like maybe she was near tears.
“Of course I do! This trip has nothing to do with us. Once I get the story I’ll come home, and we can plan the wedding together, if our moms haven’t already done so.”
“Because if you don’t want to—”
“No. I mean yes, I mean no, I don’t not want to.” Emily shook her head. “You know what I mean.”
“Do you ever think about me?”
“Y-yes! A-all the time.” Since when do I stutter? It is the truth, isn’t it?
“Just hurry.” Gretchen sighed into the receiver. “I gotta get ready for work.”
“Okay. Have a good day.”
Gretchen disconnected without saying good-bye. She was pissed and with good reason. Emily was a horrible girlfriend. Here she was having Ojai adventures and helping Sydney while her fiancée was all alone. She needed to get her act together, write the story, and hightail it back to LA. What Emily needed was a list. It always made her feel more organized. She opened her laptop and typed: How do you solve a problem like Fran? With fingers poised over the keys, she wasn’t sure what else to put. First, she had to hook Fran and Bud up, or else he’d snitch, and then she needed to convince Fran to let her on the farm to get photos of the lovebirds.
Emily wrung her hands. She was screwed. She had no idea how to accomplish any of that. She could always contact the American Bird Conservancy to help, but then everyone would know about the lovebirds and Emily wouldn’t get the scoop. She closed the document without saving it. Lists weren’t all they were cracked up to be anyway.
Emily opened her email, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of Jill’s name. She jerked her hand off the mouse as though it were a hot potato. Jill had finally responded to Emily’s message. Just one click and she’d have the answer of whether Sydney had lied about the cabin. Emily stared at the screen until the letters blurred. She blinked several times, took a deep breath, and opened it.
Hi Emily. I was shocked to hear that Sydney is at the cabin. She was NOT invited. Please call the police and have them escort her out. I’ll contact them about pressing charges. I’m so sorry for the inconvenience. I’ll check my email tomorrow in case you have any issues. All the best, Jill
Emily’s stomach soured. Sydney had lied. Maybe she was a criminal, considering the farm break-in. No. That was to help Emily, and they weren’t planning to steal anything. Sydney was probably desperate for a place to sta
y in Ojai since no rooms were available. Still, though, she could have been honest about it. But then again, Emily would have kicked her out.
Listen to me. I’m making excuses for her. She should confront Sydney and see what she had to say for herself. She certainly didn’t want to call the police and have Sydney arrested. Plus, she didn’t want her to leave. Emily widened her eyes at the admission. She was actually having fun with the pole dancer.
Emily hit the reply button on Jill’s email.
Hello Jill. Thanks for getting back to me. Things have changed since I last contacted you. Sydney has actually been a help to me, so if it’s okay I’d like her to stay. I’m more than happy to pay extra if need be. Hope you’re enjoying your vacation. Emily
Heat crept up Emily’s neck. If Gretchen ever found out Sydney was not only staying in the cabin but that Emily wanted her to, she’d be crushed. Emily pressed send before she could change her mind.
* * *
As much pacing as Emily was doing, she’d probably have to buy Jill new hardwood floors. It was after six o’clock and Sydney still wasn’t back yet. Emily rushed to the front door when she heard a car in the driveway, desperately trying to get an indication of how things had gone from Sydney’s expression. The woman would be an excellent poker player. She wasn’t giving anything away.
“Well? How was it?” Emily asked before Sydney even reached the porch.
“Long.” Sydney sighed and sat on the top step.
Emily sat beside her. “Do you think you passed?”
“Hell if I know. It didn’t seem too difficult, but…I dunno.” Sydney looked like she’d just run a marathon, exhausted and ready to drop at any moment.
“Are you hungry?”
“Not really. God, it’s going to kill me to wait until tomorrow to get the results.” Sydney rested her chin on her fist.
Emily wished she could do something to help, but patience wasn’t one of her strong points. She was just as anxious as Sydney. Not only did Emily want her to pass, but she felt invested in the outcome since she’d helped Sydney study.
They sat in silence for a while, watching cars drive by and enjoying a cool breeze. Suddenly, Sydney sat upright with a big smile on her face and took a bag out of her backpack.
“I almost forgot,” Sydney said. “I found something that will help your Fran problem.”
“You did? What?” Emily couldn’t imagine what it could be.
“I stopped by a used bookstore after the test and ran across this.” Sydney pulled out a book. “Ta-da!”
Emily furrowed her brow and silently read the title: What’s Cooking at Twitty City.
“It’s an out-of-print cookbook written by Mickey, Conway Twitty’s wife.” Sydney was as excited as a kid with a shiny, new toy. “You said Fran was his biggest fan. You gift this to her and she’ll love you.”
“This was thoughtful, but I think it’ll take something more than a cookbook to get to Fran.”
“Are you kidding?” Sydney’s voice rose two octaves. “The bookstore owner said it’s a rare find. You can’t buy this anywhere. Not even on eBay.”
Emily flipped through the cookbook. Texas fried steak. Hush puppies. Buttermilk biscuits. This probably wouldn’t do anything more than clog Fran’s arteries.
“Thanks. But I dunno.”
“Oh ye of little faith.” Sydney snatched the book out of Emily’s hand and stuffed it back into the bag.
Emily shivered and wrapped her arms around her knees.
“Are you cold?” Sydney asked.
“A little.”
Sydney looked as though she was about to put her arm around Emily’s shoulders, but she refrained. What would it feel like to be in Sydney’s arms? Probably safe, secure, and wonderfully soft. Suddenly, Sydney stood and reached her arms high overhead in a long stretch.
“Are you going in?” Emily gazed upward.
“I guess. How about you?”
Emily stood and smiled. “I’m heading to Meditation Mount to see the pink moment.”
“What the heck is that?”
“It’s something Jill told me about. You wanna go?”
“Mmm…I dunno.”
“Come on. It’ll be fun.” Emily tugged on Sydney’s shirt sleeve, not wanting their time together to end.
Sydney looked at her car, parked behind Emily’s. “Am I driving?”
“If you don’t mind. It’s less than a mile away.”
“I don’t have a BMW, you know. And my car was broken into so the passenger side has cardboard for a window.”
“Good gosh. My ass doesn’t demand to be in a luxury seat. I don’t care what you drive.” Emily bounded down the steps and yelled over her shoulder, “Get a move on. We’re going to miss it.”
* * *
Emily thrummed her fingers against her knee, opened her mouth, but then snapped it shut. She was probably resisting asking Sydney if she could drive faster. Sydney couldn’t help but smile. Emily was cute when she got excited.
“Are you sure we’re going in the right direction?” Sydney asked. They were driving down an extremely narrow, winding lane and had just passed a sign that said Dead End.
“Yes. Just keep going.”
They drove up a hill, around a curve, and into a parking lot. Emily opened the door before Sydney came to a complete stop.
“What’s the rush?” Sydney asked.
“We’re going to miss the sunset.” Emily marched down a dirt trail like a drill sergeant.
Sydney got out of the car and jogged to catch up. “I hate to break it to you, but we’re facing east, not west. We can’t see the sunset from this vantage point.”
Emily ignored the comment as they walked down a path lined with a multitude of colorful flowers. After passing a pond filled with lilies and a trickling waterfall, they reached the end of the trail that had a spectacular view of Ojai valley.
Emily gasped, pointed over Sydney’s shoulder, and said, “Oh wow. Look.”
When Sydney twisted around she was awarded with one of the most gorgeous sights she’d ever seen. The Topa Topa Mountains looked as though they were airbrushed in a bright fluorescent pink. The setting sun in the west cast a colorful light on the mountains in the east. She could see why the locals called this the pink moment. They stood motionless, absorbing the beauty as the color transformed into shades of peach and lavender.
Sydney glanced at Emily, struck by something even more beautiful than the mountains. She looked breathtaking, sparkling eyes that reflected the sunset and full lips curved upward in a smile. Tingles rippled up and down Sydney’s spine when their eyes met. She had an urge to place a soft kiss on Emily’s lips and pull her close. Instead, she forced her eyes back to the mountains, which were now violet.
“This might be the most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen,” Emily said, gazing at Sydney.
For an instant, Sydney wasn’t sure if Emily was referring to her or the sunset. Surely she meant the sunset.
“I’ve never seen anything like this in LA,” Sydney said and sat on a nearby bench.
“Me neither. Gretchen lives close to the ocean and we’ve seen some beauties, but not this vibrant.” Emily sat beside Sydney.
“You two don’t live together?”
“No. But we will soon. In October.” Emily’s eyes darkened, her lips set in a hard, thin line.
“The wedding is in four months?”
“Yes.” Emily slowly nodded and stared into space, seemingly lost in thought.
“You don’t seem very excited.” Sydney felt a sudden jolt of hopefulness. That was strange. Why should she care if Emily wanted to get married or not?
“Oh, I am! I mean…everyone is excited about it.”
Sydney let her shoulders slump. Of course. Why wouldn’t Emily be ecstatic about marrying Gretchen? “Everyone?” she asked.
“Our parents. They’re the ones who set us up on a blind date. It’s the perfect scenario, really. Both families already know and love each other. It’s like i
t was meant to be.”
“Don’t you wonder what it would be like to date other women? You said Gretchen was the only one you ever went out with.”
“Of course not!” Emily’s eyes blazed, and she looked at Sydney like she’d just insulted her.
Sydney held up her hands. “Don’t jump down my throat. I’m just asking. I didn’t realize she gets your oxytocin flowing.”
“It’s not like that with us. We love each other, but we’re not all googly-eyed. It’s a comfortable relationship.” Emily glared at Sydney like she expected her to say something offensive.
After a few moments, Emily asked, “So you’re not dating anyone?”
Sydney crossed her leg and put her hands behind her head. “Nope. All I care about is pole dancing.”
“Sounds lonely.”
Sydney shrugged, not sure how to respond. Normally, she’d spout something about being a loner, but the past few days with Emily had actually been enjoyable.
“Well, it sounds like you really love it,” Emily said. “I’m sure you’ll get the PowerBar job.”
“I hope so. I’ve been trying for years to get an audition.”
“Why do you want to work there so badly? Surely there are other places.”
“There’s another club, PoleCat, that’s been recruiting me, but it’s in South LA. Not a very good part of town. PowerBar is the most respectable establishment in the area. If I got a job there it’d mean I was…” Sydney paused and shook her head. “Never mind. You wouldn’t understand.”
Emily placed her hand on Sydney’s knee. “Try me.”
Sydney stared at Emily’s smooth skin and graceful fingers. Her touch felt comforting. She gulped and said, “It’d mean I was worthy.”
Emily’s expression softened. “You’re already worthy, Sydney. That feeling should come from within and not because of where you work. You said that you want to empower women. Beverly Hills isn’t the only place you can do that.”
“Working at PowerBar would mean I’d made it. I’d be somebody. Not a penniless louse living in the slums.” Ugh. Why did I just admit that? Something about Emily made Sydney say things she normally wouldn’t.
