Pure Connections

Chapter 24

Fisherman's Wharf buzzed with a vibrancy Lisa imagined was typical for Saturday afternoons. Couples weaved in and out of the myriad of shops and bay cruises, some with kids yanking them along, others walking hand in hand. Between the chatter and constant zoom of nearby traffic, it was almost frenzied enough to drown out the voice in her head. Sehun's voice. Picking up her fork, she attempted to identify the pieces of seafood in her paella. She didn't want to think about how Sehun's words seemed plucked from her worst nightmares, or how convinced he'd been that Lisa was merely something to keep Jennie entertained until she and Oli got back together. He'd said it like it was preordained. Inevitable.

Still, the things Lisa felt when she and Jennie were together, that stubborn sense of yearning that had driven her here... It didn't feel like forever. Not yet. But it felt like it could be. For the first time, she'd started feeling like she'd found someone who would make coming home easy, who would make her never want to leave at all. She'd convinced herself Jennie felt it, too. The image of her from earlier that afternoon, that look of pleading looping in Lisa's mind said she did feel it. But Jennie had always said Sehu knew her better than anyone. He'd known her all her life. Lisa assuming she had a clearer understanding of Jennie's feelings based on a few months of online messages and two weeks of sexual tension seemed right at the intersection of ridiculous and delusional.

"It was a really nice thing you did." Mom's soft declaration splintered through Lisa's reverie.

She looked up in question, waiting for Mom to elaborate.

"Getting that fancy chef for Blake and Justin."

"Oh." Lisa shifted the rice around on her plate. "All I did was ask." Rosie had probably only said yes because of Jennie, but if Lisa had known showing up at Gia and asking was all it would take for Roseanne Park to cater the wedding, she would've done it weeks ago. Forget meticulous and controlling, Rosie had welcomed Lisa into her office with a warm smile and kind words, even though Lis had been a rambling mess...

Flashback:

"Please don't mention this to Jennie, because she doesn't even know I'm here. But my best friend is currently freaking out because he's convinced they'll have to order a hundred and fifty happy meals—"

"What do you need, Lis?" Rosie cut her off with a patient smile.

Lisa dragged in a deep breath. "Blake and Justin's caterer fell through. There was a fire."

"A fire?" Rosie's brows shot up.

"No one was hurt."

"Except for Blake, by the sound of it."

Lisa chuckled. "Right."

"So you're asking me to..." Rosie trailed off.

"I know you don't do events. Almost never. But Blake would lose his mind if you actually said yes, so I had to ask."

"Understandable." Rosie raised her arm in what appeared to be a quick check of the time, before mumbling something unintelligible to herself. "The wedding is in two weeks?"

Lisa scrunched up her face. "Yes?"

A moment passed, interposed by the muted drumming of Rosie's fingers against her desk. "Okay. It's the middle of lunch service, so I do have to get back now."

Lisa nodded, making a conscious effort to subdue her disappointment. "Of course." It was worth a shot.

Rosie rolled her chair back and stood. "I'll need to meet with them as soon as possible to discuss details. Preferably by tomorrow."