There are a few still living the single life. Fleur’s brother Derek for starters. He was engaged a couple years ago, but she left him for a divorced surgeon and moved to Manhattan. Greg Harris is still single, he was the curly haired kid that lived at the end of the street. A foot taller than everyone else and the goofball.”
I had forgotten about Greg. He had lived to make people laugh back then.
“What about Ryan?” I asked, before I had time to think about what I was asking. Wincing, I started to apologize but Creed seemed okay with the question. Ryan had been Cora’s boyfriend the summer she killed herself. She had crushed on him for years and that summer I had wondered why she didn’t seem happier about finally getting him.
“He’s not married either. He’s had a hard time. His mother died of cancer two years after Cora died. His dad remarried and he didn’t take it well then a year into that marriage, his dad decided to end his life.” Creed stopped then and shook his head.
I didn’t know what to say when Creed mentioned suicide. Losing Cora the way he had made it a sensitive subject. Causing him anymore pain wasn’t something I wanted to do.
“Your beer.” A waitress that looked older than Lulu appeared with our drinks. “And a Hampton Falls. Fleur got your orders in and food should be out shortly. I’m Mary, if you need anything,” she said, before turning to head over to a table across the room.
Creed brought up a memory with Fleur and Derek that I’d forgotten. After that, we talked about funny things that had happened over the years with all our other friends in Portsmouth. Creed even spoke of Cora, without looking as if it was painful to remember her. We had finished our lobster rolls that had indeed been amazing and I was on my second drink the Snowy Sunrise when Creed had to leave me to go get set up on stage.
I wasn’t there alone for long; Fleur came over and sat down beside me pulling up a chair. Either it was because she couldn’t fit in the booth with her stomach or she wanted to see the stage.
“How has life been Sailor Copeland?” she asked me with a sincere smile. Fleur was happy. There was a glow about her that you couldn’t fake.
I shrugged. “Good. I went to college in Nashville. Met my boyfriend there. Graduated then moved here to live close to Griff while he is in medical school.”
She took a drink from a fancy bottle of water she was holding. “I saw you two years ago at the CMA’s and I told my brother he needed to fly down to Nashville while you were still unmarried. That black dress you had on with those red boots. Fire!” she told me.
I smiled and thanked her, not sure what else to say about the mention of her brother. “Derek doesn’t go after life the way Creed does. He isn’t one to live spontaneously. He’s too career-driven and focused,” she sighed. “My brother is boring.”
“Career-driven and focused is a good thing, I think. Griff is that way,” I said then glanced over at the stage. “I think not knowing or understanding someone makes it harder to trust them.”
Fleur didn’t say anything just drank her water.
After a few moments, she rested the bottle on her knee. “I don’t know. I think the guessing makes life fun. Too much focus can lead to dull and boring. My husband, Josh, I never know what that man is going to come up with next, but I trust him without question.” She seemed so secure as she spoke of her husband. I was happy for her and a little envious. I missed Griff and having him near me. When we had been at Vanderbilt, we had spent every day together We had studied together or at least in the same room.
Now, he barely called, and I didn’t even know what he was doing this weekend. He hadn’t called to tell me. I missed him…I missed us.
“I’m glad Creed brought you. Last time he brought someone, she was annoying. Kept sending drinks back to the bar with complaints and our bartender is the best. If she hadn’t been here with Creed, I’d have told her to leave. I did ask him not to bring her back.”
I had seen some of the females Creed spent time with. I wasn’t surprised.
“I’m glad he brought