AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I want to go with my former best friend,” she says, firm, and plunks down the pitcher and beer.
Before I can reply, she takes Javier’s credit card from the bar top and walks toward the cash register. She stops to talk with one of her bartenders and frowns, looking as stressed as when I first walked in. I silently stew over the festival we’ll be attending, unsure an afternoon together is smart. Already, I feel a pull to open up to Jolene in a way that’s hard to resist.
“Sorry that took so long,” she says, handing me Javier’s credit card. “Staff drama.”
“No problem.” I want to ask about said drama. Figure out why she’s been stressed about work, but too many old feelings are swirling inside me. I give her a stiff nod.
“But we’ll chat,” she says before I turn. “Plan next weekend’s broccoli outing.”
This nod is more of an edgy jerk. Next weekend is only six days away. That gives me 144 hours to figure out how to be friends with Jo again without letting my irrational jealousy resurface and ruin everything a second time.
chapterfive
Callahan
I’ve never seen so much broccoli in my life. Flower bouquets with broccoli centerpieces are affixed to the old-fashioned lampposts. Stores have broccoli wreaths hanging on their doors. The town square is filled with booths, all decorated with broccoli pictures. Each team is cooking broccoli-inspired dishes like chocolate-covered broccoli, bacon-wrapped broccoli, broccoli cheese pie, broccoli pizza crusts topped with…more broccoli.
Townsfolk and tourists have pens and cards to rank the broccoli-inspired food. At the end of the day, “professional broccoli judges”—aka, town restaurateurs—will be doing more thorough evaluations, after which the Broccoli Showdown winner is announced. Rumor has it there’s a broccoli crown involved. The whole thing is kind of ridiculous, but also fun.Notbecause Jolene has been grinning up a storm, shoving me from booth to booth.
“The chocolate-covered broccoli is shockingly good,” she says after taking another bite. She licks her lips as she swallows.
I can’t help zeroing in on the slow swipe of her tongue.
I shove a piece of chocolate broccoli into my mouth and wince at the taste. “I’d rather eat chocolate-covered worms.”
She rolls her eyes. “You once screamed like a B-movie actress when I tossed a worm at you.”
“And you never used to eat green vegetables,” I shoot back. “Tastes change.”
A nearby boy shouts, “I hate broccoli!” making me chuckle. A number of couples hover intently over their rating cards, like they’re scoring an Olympic event.
Jo lifts up her last chocolate-covered floret. “I’m a chocolate-covered strawberry addict. These are obviously a bit eccentric by comparison, but my sister’s kids hate anything veggie-related, like I used to. Since her divorce—”
“Bailey’s divorced?” I ask, frowning.
“Last year, yeah. Nothing dramatic. They just drifted apart. She’s living with my parents now, so they can help with the kids. I go over and cook for them from time to time. Always hide puréed vegetables into dishes—spaghetti sauce, chocolate pudding, mashed potatoes.”
“You cook?” First her sister’s divorce, now cooking. I assumed I had the lowdown on all things Windfall, but I thought Bailey was happily married. And the Jo I knew was a picky eater who could barely boil pasta.
Jo beams, so brightly I find myself smiling with her. “I love cooking.”
“Consider me surprised. What got you into it?”
We meander through the throngs of kids and broccoli-eaters, our arms brushing when we have to dodge people. And yeah…there goes my body again,misbehaving.
“You wouldn’t know,” she says, loud enough to be heard over the nearby busker, “but my father had a bad car accident a while back. He was pretty banged up and couldn’t do much for a month or so. Even cook, which he loved.”
I actually do know about the accident. Sandra’s text informing me about it had me sleepless for several nights. I had Sandra send them ready-made meals, along with a cookbook I knew Mr. Daniels would enjoy. “I’m sorry,” I say, glad I can finally speak the words in person.
“Thanks.” She shoots me a soft look as we stroll. “He’s fine now, but Mom had just started her flower shop and wasn’t one for being a caretaker. My sister was too busy managing the Rousseaus’ equestrian program. I didn’t want him eating tons of fast food, so I started cooking. Anyway…” She stops walking and glances up at the cloud-dotted sky. “Someone from town sent over this amazing cookbook. Middle Eastern-inspired foods, with a lot of vegetarian dishes. Different stuff I wasn’t used to, and the author wove in fascinating personal stories. When I was at my folks’ place, I found myself reading it, getting curious. I have no clue who sent it, but that book changed food for me.”
Warmth invades my chest, spreading so wide I almost admit the anonymous person was me. I gave her father that gift. Hoped it would bring him a bit of joy. But admitting the book came from me is the opposite of smart. Confessing how much Jo has consumed my thoughts over the years won’t help me rebuild our platonic friendship.
Mrs. Jackson, who runs quilting classes in town, stops when she sees us. “Lovely to have you back in town, Callahan. Is your mother moving soon?”
“She’s finalizing things in Houston, so hopefully, yeah. We’ll all be happier once she’s here.” Our whole family back together in Windfall where we belong, proving my father’s carelessness didn’t ruin our lives.
She pats my shoulder, then slants a knowing look at Jolene. “It also sounds like Jake has been lost without you, dear. An amazing thing, for love to last the test of time.” She winks at Jo and walks toward the bacon-wrapped broccoli booth.
