AllFreeNovel
Share Us
That was the thought that played on a loop during the short ride to Fortuna.
And in retrospect, me asking Vinh if he had time to drop me here could have come off way more passive-aggressive than intended. But the way I scuttled out of his car after I directed him to use the valet lane right in front of the entrance—AKA no need to walk me in—and then left him with only a quick goodbye peck definitely read as cowardly.
Because it was. And I was.
I wasn’t sure if I owed him an apology—or what exactly it would be for—but I’d definitely had a few realizations this afternoon that needed attention.
I breathed through the mild ache in my ankle as I subtly hobbled to Caffeina, more than ready to drown myself in a frappe. After a few stilted steps, an arm looped through mine as the human attached to it drawled, “Lady, I need to tell you something.”
I squeezed Cody’s hand in acknowledgement before hitching my backpack purse up higher on my other shoulder, waiting for him to continue.
Which he did, unfortunately.
“You have sex hair.”
“You’re a sex hair,” I shot back, causing a group of retirees loitering nearby to gasp in chorus.
Cody cackled and patted my hand. “Not your best work, but it’ll do.”
We joined the long line of patrons at the counter, the café bustling with a Friday-afternoon lunch crowd of employees and guests. Cody was dressed in a Hollister top, practically a vintage relic from high school, board shorts, and flip flops.
“Did you raid your old closet for your outfit today?” I asked quietly as I smiled and waved hello to a few familiar faces, keenly aware of my own appearance now, thanks to Cody.
He confirmed my question as he grimace-smiled at our fellow Caffeina patrons.
I nudged him in the side. “What’s that look for?”
He raised his eyebrows at me and waved a hand in front of his face like a magician, his normally bright-hazel eyes dull. “This one? This is the face of someone who is over it, Lady.”
“Over what, exactly?”
“Everything.”
I rested my head on his shoulder as we inched closer to the counter, breathing in the familiar smell of coconut sunscreen and cherry lip balm that followed my best friend everywhere. “Me too.”
He furrowed his brows at me, his façade of a smile turning to a very real frown. “That’s not the outlook that someone with sex hair should have.”
“Well. What if the person responsible for the sex hair had to leave town almost immediately after? Or more precisely, went back home because they don’t actually live here.” I was probably being unfair to everyone involved, but I was feeling raw. I smoothed a hand down my hair, feeling more self-conscious about it by the minute.
“Stop that and own it.” Cody grabbed my hand and held it between us, lacing our fingers together. “And tell me if it was worth it.”
“The sex?” I whispered, glancing around to see who was in earshot before continuing, “Well, technically it wasn’t sex sex, but even so…. Cody, I’ve never felt like that. I don’t even know how I’d describe it.”
“Ideally from your point of view. I love a female gaze moment.”
“Cody Louis Desmond, as I live and breathe!” The genteel Southern drawl had Cody and me snapping our spines straight like soldiers waiting for inspection.
My best friend only stayed that way for a beat before forcing his body to slacken as he addressed the interruption. “Grandmother! So lovely to see you. And actually, it’s ‘Louise’ now. ‘Louis’ just didn’t suit me.”
I remained frozen, my eyes locked on the chalkboard menu mounted on the wall behind the counter as I studied the handwritten script of the drink specials. My mind would have served me better by forming strategies to deal with this, but it was uselessly blank.
I had nothing.
I pivoted as if in slow motion, already having pushed the limits of social etiquette by keeping my back turned for so long.
And there she was, a charming smile plastered on her face and foundation not quite blended into her jaw line but otherwise looking exactly as expected.
I moved my lips into a semblance of cordiality and nodded. “Good morning, Grandmother.”
