Page 19 of Feel It in the Air

“Oh shit, we should have introduced you!” Willa sighs, slumping back into the chair. “Good friend I am.”

Friend…

My insides relax, an ease settling through me, unclenching parts that had subconsciously tensed up.

“That was Brenna Rawlins.”

“As in Brandt? The other owner of Southern Brothers?”

“His sister,” Bronwyn responds. “But more importantly now, she’s Milo’s girlfriend. And the inspiration for Blue Jeans.”

She holds up the sketch of the old-fashioned red truck in a wide-open meadow at dusk, its yellow headlights slightly obscured by a pair of blue jeans tossed across the hood. Waggling her eyebrows, her unspoken message is perfectly clear.

“Ohhh…”

“And Pixie, the middle-aged woman with tangerine-colored hair and Coke-bottle glasses at reception, is none too pleased that she was one of the last to know. She has a status to uphold after all.”

I nod, not knowing what else to say to that. Because what do you say to that?

“Welcome to Hickory Hills!” Bronwyn exclaims, arms outstretched wide. “Yes, this is really the shit that goes on. You’d think we didn’t have the Internet.”

Laughter bursts out of me before I can stop myself. Thankfully, Willa and Bronwyn aren’t far behind. Damn, this feels good. Like I’m being initiated into the sorority. Maybe meeting everyone won’t be so bad.

My phone buzzes, startling me and shifting the papers in my lap from the vibration. I sneak a look, unable to hold back my smile as I read my brother’s text.

David

You’re 4 days in. Got us that new Southern Brothers yet? ;)

Working on it. Keep your pants on

I shake my head, chuckling as I look up, my eyes locking immediately with Willa’s. Her I’m-up-to-no-good twinkle has returned, and she’s not even bothering to hide it.

Oh yeah, she’s trouble. And I kind of love it.

“It’s just my brother,” I tell her, shrugging casually.

Smirking, she pushes to her feet, turning to go. “Oh, based on that smile, I thought maybe it was my brother…”

Busted…