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“I don’t hate him. He just grates on my nerves.” I shrug. “I don’t know why.” And really, I don’t. Since I left California, I’ve been in a lousy mood. It feels like me against the world, and that’s including all men. If any other man—or woman—cut me off on that road when I was so edgy, I would’ve formed a grudge to hold against them too.
“It’s nothing personal.”
Yet, it seems like it is. Dalton irritates me and I hate to consider the chance it might be due a pathetic and horribly timed attraction. I won’t lie. The man is sex on a stick.
“He’s not that bad. Look at it this way. I know Caleb is a good guy. Good guys don’t stay with bad guys for friends.”
I smirk, not sure her logic means much. Of course, she’ll view Caleb and anything he prioritizes in a biased light.
“What, are you trying to hook me up or something?”
She makes an X with her fingers. “No. Nope. No way.”
I roll my eyes at her dramatics.
“I will never repeat that mistake again. I thought you’d never talk to me again after I hooked you up with my Biology lab partner.”
I shudder, recalling the creepy guy.
“But you never make time to date or anything.” She frowns, lowering her gaze to the table. “I’m not one to talk. But you’re…free, you know. You’re hot. You’re single. You don’t have a crazy family trying to pawn you off in marriage.”
“But I’m not free. Or at least my time isn’t.”
She nods, still saddened. “Because you’re always working.” When she narrows her eyes, I know I’m in trouble.
Uh-oh. No. Please. Let’s go back to talking about annoying Dalton.
“Or not. You said you’re not going back to the school. Why, Aubrey? That’s your passion.”
“It still is.”
Wincing in confusion, she shakes her head. “Then why wouldn’t you go back to teach again?”
I lick my lips, wishing another stupid lie would come to me. I’m simply not ready to explain to her what happened. Not yet. Lauren has such a big, bleeding heart that she wears on her sleeve that she would probably blame herself for what Jeremy did. That was the whole reason she went back to Jeremy—to spare Caleb harm from the stupid threat Jeremy made to further smear his name and ruin his reputation. He hadn’t. He couldn’t have. From what I could tell, Caleb’s team of lawyers ran Jeremy through the wringer for even trying to slander him. I can’t let Lauren feel like my situation is her fault. “I needed a change of scenery,” I tell her.
She stares at me for a long moment but then smiles slowly. “Well, you sure are getting one here.”
Whew. Crisis averted.
“And you know what, I’m kind of glad you don’t have to hurry back to teach. I will need all the help I can get. Not only in running the bed-and-breakfast with Marian, but also in designing the interior of the motel this winter. I can’t wait to see what the apartments could look like.”
“It’s a big, blank canvas.”
“Yes!” She grins. “I’ll pay you for your help. But I just want to make sure. Are you really ready to leave teaching altogether?”
Am I? I’m not sure. I don’t want to ruin this afternoon by choosing an answer to that, either. I feel unprepared to reply because I’m not even sure if I have the option to teach again.
“I would love to work with you.” That’s the truth, and I’m saved when she readily accepts that in place of a proper reply to her question.
We finish lunch and leave those hard conversations behind. It’s so sunny, so warm, so fresh here, that I could wander aimlessly with my closest friend for hours yet. But Marian’s promised an apple pie, so we eventually turn around and head back toward where Lauren parked the truck.
“Hey, Earl,” Lauren greets an older man seated on a bench on the sidewalk.
He lifts his hand in a wave and elbows his buddy. “Ken, Lauren’s saying hi.”
His friend waves as well.
I giggle at the small-town manners my best friend is already adopting. I want to tease her, but it’s too cute. I’ve never lived somewhere that I could rely on a close-knit feeling of community. Even my apartment building lacked that warmth and familiarity, and now that I see it in action, I kind of wish it could be a part of my life too.
