AllFreeNovel
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“Hey, Ms. Tilly, how are you?” I shout at the florist sweeping the sidewalk outside her shop. The same flower boxes still decorate the front windows, the blooms rotating seasonally. Pink and white peonies are the special of the day, exploding out of the wooden boxes. She glances up from the broom, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“Good, Sloane. You?”
“Can’t complain.”
“Tell your dad hi for us.”
“Will do.”
“Sloane!” Mr. Anderson bellows at me from the hardware store across the street. “How’s the team gonna do next year?” He’s a big supporter of the football program and hasn’t missed a game in fifteen years.
“Not sure, Mr. Anderson. But I’ll report back as soon as I hear anything.”
“’Atta, girl. Go Mustangs!” Pumping his fist in the air, he swings back into the air-conditioned store.
I dodge a runner and a young couple with a strollerbefore finally hitting Java Jolt. The outside tables sit empty, probably because they’re in direct morning sun and no one wants to sweat this early in the day. I head in and immediately spot Gracelyn sitting at a high top in the corner. She’s already sipping an iced latte and waves a second through the air.
Bestie got me a beverage. Honestly, she’s an amazing friend and I don’t think I’d survive without her.
“Hey, girl, hey!” Gracelyn jumps up from her seat the minute I’m close enough to the table to touch, wrapping her arms around me in a tight hug. “You look fab. Must be love…” She waggles her eyebrows and I punch her in the arm.
“Stop! Sit down, everyone’s staring,” I hiss, slinking onto the stool.
“No, they’re not. And even if they were, you know I wouldn’t give a hoot.”
“Yes, but I do. Sit…” I motion at her empty seat and fan my face, cheeks flaming.
“So…how’s Cam? Did he come with you?” She whips her head around, glancing over both her shoulders, sending her golden curls flying.
“No, he’s back home taking a shower.” I sip my latte, enjoying the instant hit of caffeine and sugar.
“Ohhh, a shower. Sexy.” She leans in, her nose almost touching mine. “I’m disappointed you didn’t join him.”
“Stop! It’s my dad’s house, I can’t do that!”
“Wait—what? Cam Crawford’s taking a shower at your house?”
“Correction: my DAD’S house. I just happen to be living there temporarily.”
“Fine, whatever. That’s not the interesting part of thatsentence. Let’s circle back to Cam.” She draws a tight loop in the air with her finger.
“Cam’s staying with us for a while.”
“Oh my god, spill. Right now.” Gracelyn clutches my forearm, literally sitting on the edge of her seat. I swear, she’s my best audience.
I take another sip of my drink, debating how much to say. I don’t want to break his confidence and share details he’d rather not be made public. But Gracelyn is my best friend and word about Cam’s bound to spread through town fast as wildfire.
“He got cut from his team. He needs help with his game, so he came back home to work with my dad.”
“Of course he did.” She rolls her eyes, annoyed on my behalf.
And that’s why we’re best friends. She gets it—the feeling of being an afterthought, outshined by your own father.
“So—this has nothing to do with the email you sent then?” Grace narrows her eyes.
“No.” I fold the edge of the napkin beneath my drink into a perfect white triangle, then unfold it again. “I don’t think he even read it.”
“What? How do you know?”
