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Before we can begin, she starts up with me. “So?” She doesn’t look up from her computer.
“What?” I feign ignorance even though I know what she’s inquiring about.
“Did you return Xavier’s text?”
I sigh and shake my head. “No. What do I say and what the hell does it even mean? Just ‘you looked good’… like the demise of our friendship is of little consequence. Or is it ‘you looked good’ and maybe I shouldn’t have done what I did? Or is it my friend wanted your number so maybe you’re worth a try?” Even I hear the hurt and anger that still lives in my tone whenever we talk about this.
“Maybe he really realizes how crappy what he did was. Cade said Hank told him he talked to Xavier that night.”
I put up my hand. “I don’t want to know.”
“From what I understand, he misses you.” She bites the inside of her lip. “And I know you miss him.”
“Pres, what happened to us is what happens to every girl and boy best friend where one person’s feelings change. There’s no going back to how it was.”
Presley is the only Greene who knows anything that went on, but the story isn’t unique—two childhood best friends allowed the lines to blur one night, only for one friend to regret what happened. Let’s just say I wasn’t the one who regretted our night together. Add on what he did the next night, and it’s going to be hard to come back from that.
“You guys had such a close friendship. He helped you through Mom and Dad’s deaths. I don’t care what he says, he has deep feelings for you.” She punches away on the keyboard.
“Yeah, friendship feelings. I saw him through his own mother’s death, so of course he saw me through both my parents passing. I’m not denying that he loves me, it’s just a different love. Not the kind of love that was just happening with you and Cade in the back room.”
A sigh falls from her lips. This is Presley, the optimistic girl who found love and sees everything with rose-colored glasses now.
I’ve witnessed Xavier’s way with women over the years. I could’ve predicted his and Giulia’s breakup. He’ll never be all in with someone. He won’t let himself grow that close to someone else.
“That wasn’t love. That was I’m horny and that rarely happens now that my nipples are raw from breastfeeding and I’m still carrying twenty extra pounds. I should’ve known when I put on the overalls. They get him every time.” The smile that slowly lights up her face is one of pure love.
My heart pricks. I do want that. “Well, it’s not something I have.”
“Which is why you’re going to continue talking to that Ben guy.” Seems Presley’s on to round two. When she can’t get me to agree on Xavier, she moves on to Ben, Xavier’s teammate who’s been texting me nonstop. So much so that I feel like I’m running out of things to say to him. “He’s hot.”
He’s big. A lineman who, yeah, has the usual arrogance of a professional football player. That adds to his sex appeal, but he has a reputation. Maybe I’m just a conquest, get the librarian in bed. Or worse, what if he’s playing mind games with Xavier? I don’t think he’d do that, but I don’t know Ben or their friendship well enough to really know.
“Did you make plans to see one another?” Presley’s typing in the numbers from the sheet I just handed her, and I fill in the next one as I account for each of the books.
“He wants me to go down for the Seahawks game.”
“Fun. I bet he’ll give you great seats.”
“I wish you could come.”
We both look at Leighton, and Presley frowns. “Sorry. What about Mandi or Chevelle?”
I look up from the sheet. “Because it’s harder to be around them. They’re his sister and stepsister.”
“But if you take them, they can hang with Xavier while you go on a date with Ben.”
She has a point, but I shrug. “It’s weird.”
A roar from the brewery echoes into the quiet shop and Leighton squirms for a second before Presley rocks the car seat to soothe her. “I think they scored.”
I nod and write down how many When the Sidewalk Ends books she has—trying not to think about whether it was a pass or handoff by Xavier and wonder how many yards and whether the announcers are singing his praises.
“I’m happy for him. I really am. Xavier’s got everything he ever wanted in life. The fame, the recognition, the money. It’s every dream he’s ever told me he had. I guess I was naive to think that he’d look at me in a different way after… that he wouldn’t see the Clara Harrison in pigtails who built forts with him in the woods and competed over who could ride their bike to the square faster.”
Presley abandons her computer and puts her arm around my shoulders. “He’s stupid for not knowing that you’re the best woman he could ever hope to find.” She rocks me back and forth.
“Pres?”
