Page 59 of Feel It in the Air

“And Gus.” Aaron nods, clicking his tongue. “Shoulda known. Gus Hayes and the new girl. It’s freshman year all over again. All that’s missing is Dylan Barrowcliff.”

Margeaux throws a look over her shoulder at me, but I don’t bother looking away from Aaron. It wasn’t a competition then, and it’s not one now. Nonetheless, I’m not backing down.

“I’m hanging with my friend Dolly tonight, and Hux and Gus tacked on to our table. You’re welcome to join us,” Margeaux says, playing it off just as planned. I bristle inside, but her delivery is perfect.

“Oh no.” Aaron shakes his head emphatically. “I went down the Alice Evans road once. And the Emily Barrowcliff one. Don’t ask…it’s a small town.”

My ears perk up. The Emily thing is news to me. How did I miss the fact that he went out with my best friend’s little sister?

“I’ll just… I’ll see myself out.” Backing away, he holds his hands up in surrender. Looking up over Margeaux, he makes eye contact with me. “And…” He lifts his hand to his mouth, twisting as if he were turning a key in a lock and then tossing it over his shoulder, before walking away.

I nod, making a mental note to double his end-of-year bonus. Hell, triple it even.

“So, hush puppies,” I say again. It’s a stupid thing to try and transition with, but if it gets my heart rate to slow, then I’ll take it.

Quirking an eyebrow up at me, Margeaux moves forward with the line. “Just what did he mean it’s freshman year all over again? Hmmmm?”

“Let’s order and I’ll explain.”

We step up to the truck and quickly place our order. Red beans and rice for me, jambalaya for her, with some hush puppies to share. I can see the skepticism in Margeaux’s face when they ask me if I wanted the vegan or non-vegan version of my dish, but she manages to keep her comments to herself. Although the look she gave Dolly, who ordered the gumbo right behind us, was one of borderline fear.

“Hickory Hills is a small town,” I say, after we’ve settled back at the table with our food.

“I’ve noticed,” Margeaux quips.

“Well, as a kid growing up, that means that everyone you start kindergarten with is who you spend all your school years with. So, the summer before freshman year, a new family moved to town, and there was a new girl—a very pretty new girl—who was our age. And every guy in my class was into her.”

I take a bite of my beans and rice, letting her infer from there. The flavor isn’t bad, maybe a bit salty for my liking, but nothing a beer won’t solve.

“Dude, every teenage guy in town was into Carly Adams,” Hux adds.

“Wait…Adams…as in…” Margeaux says.

I nod. “Percy’s daughter.”

“You dated Percy’s daughter?” There’s amusement in her voice, relief washing over me that she doesn’t seem to care that my ex is her real boss’s daughter. I’m sure there are exes in her past I’ll need to know about as well, ones I may or may not care about. But seeing this reaction in her makes me think none of it will matter.

“All through high school. Right up until she went turncoat and went to Bama.”

Most of the table cringes at the mention of our rival. Except Margeaux. Who simply stares back at me with challenge in her eye.

“Sure hope such a thing isn’t still a deal-breaker.”

I start to respond, ready to give her a cheeky response that for three hundred and sixty-four days of the year we’re going to be perfectly fine. Actually, more than that, since UGA and LSU don’t play each other every season. But the years we do, lines are going to be drawn. God forbid we ever meet up in a bowl game or the national championship. I’m sure she’s going to have just as cheeky a response as well.

That is, until we’re interrupted.

“Damn, this is spicy!”

The table shakes as Jeff slams both his hands down onto it. Reaching for his beer, he makes a show of chugging a large portion of it, then wiping his brow.

“Really?” Margeaux replies. “Mine’s bland. Horribly so. Those guys should be ashamed.”

She pushes the jambalaya to the middle of the table. Jeff looks up, giving her a look like she’s insane.

“I don’t think it’s that bad,” I comment.

She looks at me with disgust. “Oh, it is. You want good Cajun food, I’ll make you good Cajun food.”