Page 55 of Healing Eleanor

“Oh my gosh!” Her eyes light up, and in seconds, she’s barreling toward me with arms flung wide. “Eleanor! I knew I’d see you again. We are going to be the best of friends, don’t you worry.”

Before I can brace myself, she wraps me in a full-force hug that nearly knocks me backward. Her perfume smells like cherries and her energy is brighter than the sun. Not even a cup of coffee can give me this much energy.

Friends.

I force a smile as I try to mask the knife-like ache in my chest. Not because Lily isn’t nice; she is. Overwhelmingly so. But after the Sofia incident... I’m not sure trusting anyone again is the smartest move. Friendships come with conditions. Some are sweet and innocent at first, but can turn quickly. Almost like a pirouette gone wrong.

But Lily looks at me like we already belong in each other’s lives. Like I’m safe with her. And I don’t have the heart to brush her off.

“It’s nice to see you, Lily,” I say, managing a polite smile. See? I can be cordial.

“Lily,” Nik warns gently, a thread of amusement in his voice. “Bring it down a notch.”

She immediately takes a step back and cringes. “Right, sorry.” Then she glances at me, sheepish. “I was just hoping it would be you here. After all Nik was saying about you—”

“Lillian,” Nik cuts her off, more firmly this time. His eyes dart toward her with a pleading look.

He was… talking about me?

“Eleanor,” he blurts, pivoting, “meet coffee girl.” A sly smile tugs at his lips as he waves toward Lily.

Lily blinks, confused, until it clicks. Her eyes widen. “Nicholas,” she groans. “You told her that?” She crosses her arms with dramatic flair. “That’s rude.”

Nik points at her, feigning seriousness. “First of all, my name isn’t Nicholas. And second, of course I did. She asked about my worst first impression.”

“But we’re friends,” Lily whines, shooting him an offended look. “Friends don’t tell embarrassing stories.”

“Never mind that,” I cut in, feeling a second wave of embarrassment looming. The last thing I need is for Nik to tell her what I was caught doing. One awkward moment is enough for a lifetime. I shift to him instead. “I thought you said that was your first impression of a new girl. She seems to be your friend.”

Nik smirks, crossing his arms, the movement making his biceps flex beneath his black shirt. He looks far too smug for someone currently in control of my blood pressure. “I said it was my first impression of a dancer,” he corrects, a low chuckle slipping out. Then he nods toward Lily. “I’ve known her my whole life.”

I feel like an outsider. This is a small town, and it won’t surprise me if everyone here has known each other since childhood. “Oh, really?” I ask, mostly to fill the silence, directing the question to no one in particular.

“Yep!” Lily chirps, oblivious to the knot tightening in my stomach. “Nik is like the brother I never had—or ever wanted, if I’m being honest.” She throws her head back with a cackle.

“Ha-ha,” Nik replies sarcastically, giving her a sidelong look. Then he turns toward her, hands resting on his hips. “So tell us,” he says, raising a brow. “What brings you in here more hectic than usual this morning?”

Lily places a hand on her chest, as if she needs to prepare herself. “Okay. So. I was walking to Pot & Kettle, like I always do, because, as you know, I cannot start my day without caffeine—otherwise I’ll literally die, right? And I’m halfway there when I see this squirrel—a very determined squirrel—dragging an entire bagel across the street.”

Nik blinks. “A bagel?”

“Yes! Like, a full New York deli bagel. Sesame. Or everything seasoning—I’m not sure, but I was impressed. I couldn’t just ignore it, right? So I took a picture because—well, obviously—and then this man on a bicycle comes swerving around the corner, sees me standing there, and yells at me for being in the way.”

I bite back a laugh.

“But then.” She waves her arms around dramatically. “His bike tire hit the sidewalk, and he flew off like a cartoon character, landing straight in a bush.”

Nik raises an eyebrow. “Did you help him?”

Lily worries her bottom lip between her teeth. “I… asked if he was okay?”

“You asked?”

“Well, I was holding hot coffee! I didn’t want to spill it on him. But anyway, it turns out he’s the new pianist at Crosspoint and now he definitely hates me.” She sighs. “So yeah. That’s why I’m a little ‘hectic’ this morning.”

Nik holds up a hand. “Wait. New pianist? Does Dillon know about this?”

Lily shrugs. “Beats me.”