Very few people were aware of the short but intense romance she and Miguel Belmonte had shared eleven years ago. Eleven years. The four months they’d spent falling in love was just a blip now on Rosa’s timeline, and ancient history, but despite her best efforts, her body still reacted to the mention of his name. This time her moist palms had nothing to do with the roller coaster.
“There’s an amphitheater just ahead, with a dance floor.” As Gloria lead the way, they were joined by a gaggle of ladies that Gloria recognized. She called out hello and waved, and the gaggle moved toward them. “See, I told you we’d know people here,” Gloria said.
We seemed like the wrong pronoun, but as Gloria leaned in to shake hands and cheek-kiss several of the women, recognition dawned. A few of the women were familiar to Rosa and a particular one was very familiar.
During her high school years in Santa Bonita, students of all ages had been combined in large school classrooms, for lack of teachers. More times than Rosa could count, they had turned out the school lights and blacked out windows when an oil field was bombed or a firebomb was discovered somewhere within the state of California.
“You remember Marjorie, right?” Gloria said, motioning to a pretty girl in a green A-line dress with a black and white polka-dotted under layer. She wore her bright red hair in a long ponytail.
“Rosa Reed!” Marjorie said with a glint in her eye. “It’s so nice to see you.” She sprung forward to give Rosa a hug, which momentarily surprised her. This very non-English custom of hugging at every hello and goodbye took some getting used to.
“Hello!” Rosa said. Marjorie Davidson was Gloria’s age and had transformed from a girl to a woman in the eleven years Rosa had been gone. “You’re all grown up!”
Rosa recognized Joyce and Pauline before Gloria could announce them.
“Hello, ladies,” Rosa said. They both wore less flashy dresses, Joyce in violet and Pauline in navy. If anyone needed a fuller crinoline, it was Pauline.
“Hi, Rosa.” Pauline’s voice was soft and gentle. Rosa remembered how Pauline had suffered with shyness as a child.
“Hi, Pauline. So, nice to see you again.”
Pauline covered her mouth when she said, “I forgot all about your accent!”
“I’d argue that you’re the ones with the accent,” Rosa said warmly.
Joyce grasped both of Rosa’s hands, leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. “Oh, Rosa! It’s been too long.”
To the brunette who only just stepped into the group behind Marjorie, Gloria said, “And you must remember Nancy.”
Rosa’s emotions were all over the map as she stared back at the woman with honey-blond hair who gaped back. Older now, Nancy Davidson—now Kline—had her hair styled shorter, and she a little more weight rested on her hips and face, but her round blue eyes and cute sky jump nose were unmistakable.
“Hello, Nancy,” Rosa said, stepping closer.
Nancy had been Rosa’s American best friend during her days in Santa Bonita during the war. Practically attached at the hip, they did homework together, discovered fashion and boys together, and ultimately, Nancy was the only one to know about Rosa’s forbidden affair with Miguel Belmonte.
The girls had continued to write after Rosa returned to London, but like with Miguel, the effort became too difficult. Because Nancy had invited Rosa to her wedding, Rosa had felt compelled to invite Nancy to hers. She had no expectation that Nancy would actually come. Or reply, for that matter, and she hadn’t.
Without smiling Nancy said, “I heard you were back in town.”
Whether Gloria’s impulse to pull the other girls away was an act of sensitivity or simply a need to move things along, Rosa was thankful for a moment to speak with Nancy alone.
“I’ve been meaning to look you up.”
“Uh-huh.”
“I ran into your mother the other day at the bakery. She said you’ve been busy. Three boys?”
“Yes, Eddie Jr., Johnny and Mikey, ages ten, eight and six.” Nancy risked a smile. “A right handful. Mom’s so good about taking them once in a while so I can forget I’m an old married woman and pretend to be Marjorie’s age again.”
Rosa returned the smile. “It’s why I like hanging out with Gloria.”
“Are you here on your honeymoon?” Nancy’s eyes darted about in search for Rosa’s phantom spouse.
Rosa frowned. “I didn’t go through with the wedding. It’s a good thing you didn’t come.”
Nancy’s eyes grew round and Rosa saw a glimpse of her old friend in them. “Golly! Now that sounds like a story I’d like to hear!”
On AMAZON
About the Authors
Lee Strauss is a USA TODAY bestselling author of The Ginger Gold Mysteries series, The Higgins & Hawke Mystery series, The Rosa Reed Mystery series (cozy historical mysteries), A Nursery Rhyme Mystery series (mystery suspense), The Perception series (young adult dystopian), The Light & Love series (sweet romance), The Clockwise Collection (YA time travel romance), and young adult historical fiction with over a million books read. She has titles published in German, Spanish and Korean, and a growing audio library.
When Lee’s not writing or reading she likes to cycle, hike, and watch the ocean. She loves to drink caffè lattes and red wines in exotic places, and eat dark chocolate anywhere.
Norm Strauss is a singer-songwriter and performing artist who's seen the stage of The Voice of Germany. Short story writing is a new passion he shares with his wife Lee Strauss.
For more info on books by Lee Strauss and her social media links, visit leestraussbooks.com. To make sure you don’t miss the next new release, be sure to sign up for her readers’ list!
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