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I groan, dropping my head and scratching the back of my neck. “You know, it’s days like today when I feel thankful that I live all the way on the other side of the country.”
He narrows his eyes. “But you miss your best friend, of course.”
I chuckle. “Obviously.”
Taking another sip of my coffee, I lean back in my chair, my mind trying to think over what the hell Corinne could possibly be thinking, spreading rumors that we’re getting back together, or that we’ve even been talking.
The last time I saw her—other than the night at The Mitch and the following night at the bonfire, each of those being occasions when I barely said a word to her—was six years ago.
I was back in town for Christmas, actually, not summer. My parents had a Christmas Eve dinner, which they normally do for a lot of friends and families in town every year, and Corinne came with her parents.
By that time, I had graduated college and moved on to my graduate program. I’d secured my job at SolvTech and was feeling on top of the world. It’d been over five years since Corinne and I had broken up, so when I saw her, I thought we’d be able to be amicable, maybe friendly.
But she gave me attitude, that Corinne Paulson sass returning with a vengeance.
I don’t think we’ve talked since.
So the idea that we might start something up again is just…ridiculous, on so many levels.
The fact that she’s talking about it with people is what’s irritating. Some other time in my life, I might not care, might not have an opinion—but this isn’t another time in my life.
This is the first time I’ve had a…well, a girlfriend, for all intents and purposes. Ruby is important to me, and it bothers me that Corinne not only treated her like shit but is also spreading things around that could possibly damage things between me and Ruby.
“So there’s nothing to it?” Rusty asks.
I glare at him. “You kidding me?”
“Hey,” he says, putting his hands up with a smile. “I just had to ask.”
We move on to other topics, each of us talking about work and family. In reality, Rusty and I talk a few times a month. We know what’s going on with each other, so our meeting is mostly about giving each other a few back taps and a little bit of shit.
Eventually, we say our goodbyes, him promising to save me a bottle of his most recent draft and me promising to come bug him for it at the festival.
* * *
“Everybody knows you’re not old enough to drink, Little Bee,” I say. “It won’t matter if we give you a bracelet.”
Busy crosses her eyes, her irritation at being the last of us to be of drinking age evident in the nasty glare she’s sending to each of her siblings.
“Yeah. We’ve all been in your shoes, okay?” Bishop says. “You’ll live. Just suck it up and go find some friends to hang out with.”
She lets out a groan then storms off into the crowd, leaving me, Ruby, and the twins where we’re standing in line to get our beer garden bracelets from Sheriff Perry.
“I’m so excited,” Bells says, talking to Ruby. “Abby told me Rusty has a new batch of beer he’s said is his best yet, and he’s debuting it in the garden tonight.”
“I hope they don’t run out.”
I look to my brother. “Don’t worry. He’s saving me a bottle, so even if they run out, I’ll give you a sip.”
He makes an exaggerated face. “And risk getting your cooties?” He gags. “I don’t think so.”
I shake my head at his stupidity, only staying silent because Ruby giggles next to me.
She’s been in low spirits for most of the day, though I can tell she’s pushing to swing back to the positive side of things.
When I returned from coffee this morning and creeped back into the guesthouse, I was surprised to find Ruby still asleep since she normally likes to wake up early.
I made sure to kickstart her morning the right way—with my fingers between her legs.
