Read Online Seeking Sara Summers by Susan Gabriel - Free Book Online Page A

American,” the man said. His English was as impeccable as his manner. “Are you a friend of Julia’s?”
    “Yes, I am,” Sara said.
    He smiled. “She’s in the back, greeting her admirers.” He motioned to the back of the gallery.
    “I guess I’ll go get in line then,” Sara said.
    “By the way, I’m Roger,” the man said. “I guess you could call me a friend, too.”
    “Nice to meet you, Roger.” Sara smiled and held up her wine glass in a quick salute. “I’m Sara.”
    He bowed. “Nice to meet you, Sara.”
    The crowd in the back erupted in laughter. Sara caught a glimpse of the woman that stood in the center of the crowd. Past and present collided. Her heartbeat quickened a bit. All eyes were on her old friend as if she were a queen among commoners. She hasn’t changed a bit, Sara thought. She asked Roger to excuse her and made her way toward the back. Everyone there was dressed in various renditions of black evening wear.
    As Sara approached, she caught brief glimpses of the woman of the hour. Sara compared these glimpses to the girl she had once known. Her laugh was the same, as was her smile. Her long hair was pulled away from her face. Julia had always worn her hair long. Sara took a moment to run a hand through her short curls.
    Sara was eight feet away but Julia’s back was to her. She debated what to say. Hi, Julia. Remember me? Or maybe she should call her Jules, the nickname she had given her as a girl. She feared an awkward exchange as she remembered their phone call weeks before. If their meeting was a repeat of that phone call, Sara would be mortified; forced to climb under an Italian rock somewhere to hide her humiliation.
    Sara stepped closer. She was close enough to smell Julia’s perfume. Julia spoke to someone about her work, pointing to a canvas on the closest wall. Her Italian, from what Sara could tell was like a native and she appeared totally at ease in her surroundings.
    What am I doing here? Sara thought. She was totally out of her league. She was used to mingling with teachers and soccer moms, not artists and Florentine elite. Not to mention that she was a one-breasted cancer survivor. Survivor being a relative term. She glanced toward the entrance to plan her get-away. Thirty steps, maybe forty and she could be out of there. Sara turned toward the door just as Julia pivoted toward her. Their eyes met. Julia smiled to acknowledge her, a presumed stranger and possible admirer. But then her expression changed. Julia’s smile widened. “Sara? Is that you?”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

CHAPTER SIX
     
    Julia’s smile evaporated any fear Sara had had about their meeting.
    “Oh, Sara, what a surprise! It’s so good to see you!”
    “You, too,” Sara said.
    They embraced. Had it really been nearly thirty years? A scent of wildflowers permeated Julia’s clothing and her hair. Sara breathed her in, as if taking a hit of oxygen after being depleted for years. Julia had aged, of course, but at the same time had become more beautiful. Was that even possible?
    “I can’t believe you came,” Julia said.
    She stepped back to look at Sara again. Julia took Sara’s hand and Sara felt giddy; drunk with the knowledge that Julia was happy to see her.
    “How did you get here?” Julia asked.
    “The usual way,” Sara said. She flapped her arms like wings and instantly blushed her embarrassment. “Sorry,” she said. “I could get the Pulitzer for being lame these days.”
    “Don’t be silly,” Julia said. “I always loved your sense of humor.”
    Julia had not stopped smiling and Sara had to divert her eyes to withstand the attention.
    “It means so much to me that you came,” Julia said. “Is Grady here, too?” She quickly scanned the crowd.
    “No, he’s at home,” Sara said.
    Julia asked where she was staying and Sara told her. “Very upscale,” Julia said. “But I insist you stay with me. I have a great little place and then we’ll have time to catch