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She laughs. “I’ve heard that’s a fun time. I’ve been meaning to connect with her recently. I feel like we used to be so close, and now…” She trails off.Now, with the divorce, it feels awkwardis probably what the rest of her sentence would have been.
It makes sense. Marie and Sarah became close friends while we were dating and then even more so after we got married. I know the divorce came as a shock to everyone, but particularly my cousin, probably because neither of us ever truly explained it. The two of them have tried to maintain their friendship to some degree, especially because I have explained to Marie over and over again that our decision to break up was mutual and I wasn’t angry about it.
There might be a tiny lie in there somewhere, but Marie doesn’t need to know that.
“Well, I’m sure she’d love to hear from you,” I reply, taking another sip from my coffee.
“And how’s the cabin?”
I snort. “Still perfect.”
Sarah grins at me and shakes her head. “You and your lakefront dreams.”
Shrugging, I set my coffee on the table between us, leaning forward slightly. “Don’t deny it. You’re a little jealous.”
“Not of that little cabin, I’m not,” she says, laughing. “You know I always preferred the shiny new over the old and rustic.”
I nod, still smiling. “Ain’t that the truth.”
When we moved in together after we’d been dating for a year, theonlyoption for Sarah was the apartment complex just off Main Street. She wanted walkable access to town and sparkly new finishes. Having only ever lived in a much older home with wood paneling and a wood-burning stove and super old appliances, the apartments on Main felt like a hospital to me.
I made do. We tried to ‘warm it up’ a bit, as Sarah referred to it, by adding décor to the stark white walls and bringing in a handful of pieces of furniture that previously belonged to my parents. But it always felt plain and bare and boring to me.
The cabin is amuchbetter fit. In many ways.
“Although, if Lois ever decides to sell, make sure you point her my way.” She tilts her head from side to side. “If she doesn’t hate me.”
“She doesn’t hate you,” I insist. “But there’s no way she’s selling. Especially not now that the green cabin is back to being a full-time rental.”
Sarah’s eyebrows rise. “Oh you must be so relieved.” She chuckles, having heard a number of my stories about the antics of my variety of neighbors over the past year.
“Definitely.”
“New neighbors are better?”
I nod. “Much. Busy Mitchell moved in with her daughter about a month ago.”
“Huh.”
I blink, my brow furrowing. “Huh, what?”
Sarah’s smile stretches slyly across her face. “Oh, just…she had a huge crush on you when she was a kid,” she says, laughing quietly to herself.
My head jerks back. “What? No she didn’t.”
Sarah nods, leaning back in her chair. “She did. She used to go into Cohen Custom and hang out because she wanted to bump into you.”
I scoff, feeling like she’s making it up, even if itisflattering. “That can’t be real. How do you even know that?”
“Kelsey’s younger sister was friends with Busy in junior high,” she says, referring to one of her old friends from high school.
Knowing someone you’re attracted tonowhad a crush on you a decade ago is…an odd feeling, a convolution of emotions. And I’m not too ashamed to admit to myself I’m pleased to hear the rumor, even though I wouldneveradmit it to someone else.
“But don’t tell her I said anything about it,” Sarah says, reaching out and placing her hand on mine briefly. “Keep it to yourself, okay?”
I laugh. Like I wouldeverbring it up to Busy.
“Don’t worry. I plan to repeat this to nobody, ever.”
