Page 33 of Plotting Summer

I release my breath. I didn’t scare him away with my crying disaster! Or he’s too nice to refuse me, but I’m fine with that too, at least for the time being.

CAPRI

Do you have plans Monday evening?

TRISTAN

I do now. What time were you thinking?

CAPRI

Come by when you’re off work. Wear something comfortable.

TRISTAN

Sounds good. I’ll be there at five.

Also, if you haven’t found your keys by Thursday, you should plan on coming to the family swim night at Seaside Oasis. There will be snow cones.

CAPRI

I have a weakness for snow cones.

TRISTAN

I remember that about you. That’s why I mentioned it.

I’m wearing the stupidest grin as I read his last text, but I choose to forgo repeating my motto about the friend zone. I’m not planning to see Tristan again till the day after tomorrow, so I have plenty of time to steel my resolve.

With the high from our conversation still rushing through me, I open to a blank page in my new notebook and pop the lid off my pen. Hanging out with Tristan is like an inspiration gold-mine, and I might as well keep track of the golden nuggets I find as I go.

I’m throwing fresh ice packs into the picnic basket when there’s a knock at the front door. I glance at the kitchen clock. Tristan’s almost an hour late. He did text about fifteen minutes ago to apologize and let me know that he’d be here soon, which I very much appreciated since I’d convinced myself he was going to ghost me after Saturday’s outing. But now everything’s back on track (for the most part), and I’m eager for another shot to prove to Tristan I’m relatively normal. That I’m decent friend material.

Light, quick footsteps tell me Serenity or Jack have beat me to the door. Sure enough, the sound of a door opening is followed by Tristan’s voice. “Hey there, Serenity. I’m looking for your aunt. Is she here?”

“Auntie Capri!”

“I’m coming,” I call, hauling the overloaded wicker basket out of the kitchen.

When I round the corner, I stop, taking in Tristan’s khaki shorts, navy tee, and white sneakers. We are more or less wearing the exact same thing. Well, the same colors anyway. I momentarily contemplate slinking away to go change, but his gaze meets mine, then it drops to my outfit before lowering to his.

“I see you got my message about the matching outfits,” I say.

His mouth quirks at the sides. “Apparently.”

Serenity glances back and forth between us. “You planned to match?”

I step next to him for easy comparison. “Who wore it better, Serenity?”

She grins, and despite Tristan pointing at himself, she points to me. “Auntie Capri. I like her shorts.”

Tristan throws up his hands with a laugh. “I feel like I’m kind of at a disadvantage.”

“Always the excuses with you.” I send him a playful smile, ignoring the way my entire body reacts to teasing Tristan. Friends tease each other. Just because that hasn’t been our relationship in the past doesn’t mean it can’t be part of our friendship moving forward. “Serenity is a less partial judge than some of us.”

“That’s probably true.” He winks at Serenity, then opens the door for me, but before I step through, he grabs the wicker basket. “Here. Let me get that.”

I willingly hand it over, then step outside into the humid afternoon air. As Serenity closes the door behind us, we make our way down the front steps.