Make Your Move - By Samantha Hunter Page 0,56

she enjoyed watching some of the bright red pop out, and was relieved that the summer heat was passing.

She tapped her foot nervously on the floor. The server had come by twice asking her if she wanted to order, and as time passed, she thought that maybe Ginger wouldn’t show up. Finally, she saw Ginger rush through the door, hurrying across the café to her table.

“I’m so sorry I’m late, again, I know,” she began but Jodie put up a hand and then, before she could say anything, stood up and hugged Ginger.

“Don’t worry about it. How are you?”

Ginger looked relieved. They ordered their food quickly, barely reading the menus.

Jodie took a deep breath. “Ginger, there’s something I didn’t tell you the other day,” she said, but as she finished the sentence, her throat tightened and her eyes stung.

It surprised her. She wasn’t typically a crier. She’d learned young that tears only aggravated her father and made things worse, so she’d thought that she’d all but trained crying out of her emotional repertoire, but tears certainly were a reflex these days. “I’m sorry, I’m pretty stressed—” Jodie went on to tell Ginger about Jason, and the chance that their business could be in trouble.

“So I don’t know that I’ll be able to guarantee the bakery job, depending on what happens. The recession has already hurt a bit, and if he does manage to damage our business, well…I don’t know. I should have told you, but I didn’t want you to quit.”

“Oh, honey,” Ginger said, “you couldn’t get rid of me if you tried,” her voice high and tight as she fought off her own set of tears, and before the food came they were both weeping and laughing about it, and Jodie knew then everything was going to be okay.

Taking deep breaths and sitting back down with the air less tense between them, Jodie smiled at the waiter who smiled back in that way, pausing for a moment longer than he had to and refreshing her water though it had barely been touched. He was cute, she supposed, but she could have cared less.

“I was worried, thinking you would make the decision to cut back on your hospital hours when I didn’t know what was happening with the shop…” Jodie proceeded to bring Ginger up-to-date on the latest episode with Jason, and her and Dan’s plan.

Ginger’s eyes were huge and angry by the time Jodie finished. “I can’t believe he just walked into the shop like that and threatened you! What a bastard,” she said a little more loudly than she should, and they both smiled, piping down as they drew a few looks.

“He is. But you know, Dan and I’ve decided to focus on what’s more important. Us,” Jodie said, feeling her cheeks turn warm.

“I told you you’d meet someone and that would be that. Your prowling days are over—the hunter has been well and truly snared,” Ginger said happily.

Jodie sat back in her chair, her jaw dropping with a laugh. She was about to argue, but then her mouth clamped shut again, and she blinked.

“Yeah, I guess you were right,” she said softly. “There was only ever Dan, really.” Even if she hadn’t screwed up the courage to tell him so, she knew it was true.

Ginger bounced in her seat, clapping lightly, her eyes dancing. “I am so happy for you,” she said. “Dan is perfect for you, and you deserve to be happy.”

Jodie’s cheeks warmed, but she only smiled, stabbing at her salad and changing the subject. Ginger was right, but Jodie wasn’t up to having her newfound emotional life diagnosed over lunch.

“So how are things with Scott?”

Ginger’s cheeks were turning pink and she appeared tentative again.

“I was going to tell you at the bakery the other day, but I guess my emotions were running really high, too. But…I think I’m pregnant. It’s kind of early to know for sure, but, well, I just think I am.”

Jodie dropped her fork, and the clatter distracted them both as the handsome waiter appeared at her side almost immediately with a new one.

She rolled her eyes, and they chuckled as he left, but then she met Ginger’s worried gaze again.

“Pregnant? Really?” she asked.

“Yes. And…it’s wonderful,” Ginger said, getting misty again. “We couldn’t be happier. He’s been so great, Jodie. It’s like something really has changed,” she said, dabbing at her eyes again.

Jodie consumed the new information, processing it.

“He’s happy about it?”

“Oh, yes. He’s thrilled. He told me anything I want