“I bet he wasn’t. Maybe he’s in love with you,” she says. I roll my eyes at her dramatics, but nods as if it’s a logical concept. “Being annoyed and grumpy with me was the number one sign Miles was completely obsessed and in love with me. I know we shouldn’t encourage the whole ‘he’s mean because he likes you,’thing, but sometimes there’s truth there. Boys are stupid, simple creatures who don’t know how to process real emotions. Maybe he’s grumpy because he’s in love with you and doesn’t know what to do.”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s the case here,” I laugh. “Miles was in love with you long before last summer. The man was holding seashells in his pocket for you for years.”
“Well, when we find out in six years that he’s been doing something unhinged for you all along, I don’t want to hear about it.”
“I wouldn’t hold your breath. I threatened to be friends with him, and he looked like I told him I was going to blow up the building.”
Claire tips her head, brows furrowing. “How does one threaten to be friends with someone?”
“I asked him why he didn’t like me, and he said it wasn’t personal, that there was no reason for a relationship beyond work.” A small smile tips on my lips, remembering the look of confusion and shock on Graham’s face. “So I told him we’d be friends by summer’s end.”
“What did he say to that?” Claire asks, crossing her arms on her chest, looking fully entertained.
“Good luck with that,” I repeat in a gruff voice, and she tips her head back, a deep laugh falling from her lips.
“So, he has no idea who he’s dealing with, does he?” she asks, and I lift a shoulder, a similar humor bubbling in my chest.
“What’s so funny, you two?” Maggie says as she comes in, sliding her sunglasses to her head. She brushes sand from her shins before hugging me from behind as I sit in the chair. “Good to see you, Junie B.” I smile over my shoulder at her, a familiar warmth spreading in my chest, tinged with grief. It was a name my grandmother used to call me as a kid because I was obsessed with the Junie B. Jones books. Maggie was a good friend of my grandparents before they passed, since they were both active in the rec department for years, with Grandma teaching art classes and Grandpa stepping in to coach any team that needed someone. Somewhere along the way, Maggie started to call me that, as well.
“June got a new job, and her boss doesn’t believe in making friends,” Claire explains to her mentor.
“And he hired June?” Maggie asks, raising an eyebrow.
“Technically, Sutton hired me.” She nods as if it all makes sense, and I guess in a way, it does.
“How is it going over there? Sorry to hear about them cutting back on classes. They should have canned Cece Stevens, not you.” I bite back an agreement, a grimace crossing my face at the mention of my personal and slightly irrational nemesis.
“It happens. All’s well that ends well.” Maggie looks me over in a way I know from experience can’t mean anything good.
“You know, I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been meaning to seek you out.”
“Oh?” I ask, unsure. If Maggie is seeking me out, either there’s an issue with a kid, she needs Grant to fix something, or…
“The town council is accepting bids for the new mural at the entrance to town.” My eyes widen. There’s a large wall on the overpass before the only road in and out, and the town’s been discussing adding a mural to brighten up the space for years. I’m surprised they finally agreed on anything. “Proposals are due by July’s end, but Chet is hiding it—buried under website red tape—so his daughter will get it if no other proposals come in.” Chet Stevens, the town’s zoning administrator, is on the town council and is constantly making everyone in Seaside Point miserable. He’s passed that trait down to his kids, Carl, who owns Grant’s rival contracting company, and Cece Stevens. Cece is two years older than me and a spoiled rich girl who has taken pride in making me miserable ever since Joey Gooding took me to prom her senior year instead of her. We previously had to work together often, since she’s also a fifth-grade teacher, and I’m sure my layoff made her day.
“Oh, fuck that chick,” Claire murmurs, knowing all too well about my dislike of her, even though Claire didn’t grow up in Seaside Point. Even if I haven’t whined about Cece many times before, she would know her solely based on her interactions with the Stevens family.
“Youhaveto put in a bid, June!” Claire says, turning to me, her face beaming.
Was this a setup? Something Claire and Maggie had talked about and planned ahead of time? It feels like an ambush.
“Oh, I don’t know,” I say with a small laugh and a shake of my head. “I don’t feel very qualified for that.”
“And Cecelia is?” Maggie asks, raising her eyebrows to her forehead. “That girl couldn’t paint a straight line if she had a ruler.” I bite back a laugh, but Claire doesn’t, the sound filling the office.
“That’s not kind?—”
“She’snot kind, so I don’t have to be kind to her,” Maggie says. “You really should submit a proposal, June. You’re talented, like your grandmother and your mom. It’s what Connie would have wanted, you leaving your mark on this town.” My chest aches at her words, and Claire senses my weakness and uses it to push her agenda further.
“This kind of sounds like one of those lucky opportunities you’re supposed to take hold of this summer, doesn’t it?” she says with a smug look on her face. “The universe is dropping something exciting right in your lap.”
I glare at her.
“I agreed I’d take chances that came to me,” I remind her. I donotremind her that the last time I followed that logic, I ended up fucking my new boss, who may or may not hate me now.
“Yeah. And Maggie is bringing it to you. Voila, it came to you.”
I roll my eyes.
