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“No.” I wince at the higher pitch of my voice.
The corners of her mouth tip up slightly. “Want to come to Friendsgiving?”
SEVENTEEN
KIRSTEN
“You invited TravisandBen?”Skylar probes with piqued interest.
Eyes on my flour-coated hands, I knead bread dough with more gusto, needing an outlet for my elevated anxiety. “Mm-hmm.”
Hours after I asked Travis to Friendsgiving, I pulled Ben aside in the restaurant and asked if he’d like to join us for the day. His instant smile was a burst of warmth and light, and something I’d missed for far too long. That gentle, boyish smile slowly stitched together the hole in my chest he’d semi-filled before I left Smoky Creek. And for a beat, that smile made me forget all the craziness in my life.
Wrapped in soft blankets next to the fire on a snowy day, unabashed laughter and endless smiles, a beacon of light and love and hope—this is Ben.
Those earlier years we shared, Ben was always by my side. He was as glued to me as I was to him. Every ounce of free time was spent together. Our parents joked about us getting married one day. We played along and had a fake wedding in the field near our houses.
In a box of photos in my closet, I still have the picture Mom took of us that day. Me in a white sundress with yellow flowers stitched in the fabric and Ben in jeans and a white polo. Our feet were bare and our smiles stretched ear to ear.
When Mom drove us out of Smoky Creek, I cried for weeks. Not only had I lost my dad, but I’d also been torn away from the one person I wanted most. The person who soothed the pain. My best friend. Ben.
Him showing up in Stone Bay is kismet. A second chance at a long-lost friendship.
“Please tell me I’m sitting across from the action,” Oliver teases. “I need a front-row seat to the brawl.”
I pinch off a piece of dough and hurl it at his head. It hits him right between the eyes. “Don’t be an ass.”
Delilah shakes her head as she stirs cheese shreds into her homemade macaroni and cheese.
Skylar flings a green bean in his direction. “Seriously, Ollie?” She rolls her eyes. “Could you be more immature?”
Oliver ambles to the sink and starts to wash his hands. A second later, water sprays across the room. Maniacal laughter bounces off the walls as Oliver drenches me and Skylar. “To answer your question…”
Skylar charges Oliver, irritation in her eyes but a smile on her lips. “You little shit!” She steals the spray nozzle from his hand and turns it on him. “You’ll pay for that.” Her laughter mixes with his as they wage war in the kitchen.
Delilah adjusts the dial for the stove burner, puts a lid on her macaroni and cheese, and backs out of the kitchen. “Let me know when it’s safe to return.” She plops down on the couch, swipes her book from the coffee table, and flips it open to the bookmarked page.
By the time the sprayer is back in its rightful place, the floor is as equally drenched as Oliver and Skylar. We drop dish towels on the floor and shimmy our way across the tile as we soak up the water. Delilah puts her book down, disappears down the hall, and returns to the kitchen with bath towels.
Delilah and I dry the floor while Oliver and Skylar go change clothes. Thankfully, they had the foresight to bring a backup outfit. This isn’t our first Friendsgiving or our first messy gathering.
Skylar and Oliver return to the kitchen with bright smiles, playfully shoving each other. I cut the dough into smaller pieces and roll them into balls as they resume their tasks. Delilah samples her macaroni and cheese, then adds a splash of liquid smoke before cutting off the burner.
Out of nowhere, warmth and love and gratitude hit me square in the chest. The backs of my eyes sting as emotion swells in my throat. I tuck my chin to my chest and blink away the impending tears.
Having these incredible people in my circle is the most amazing gift. One I will never take for granted. For days, my life has beenoff. But these people, my closest friends, make every step forward worth it. They make each moment, big or small, count.
A ding fills the air and Skylar picks her phone up from the counter. Her cheeks flush as she reads the message. “Law’s on his way with the turkey.” She locks her phone, sets it on the counter, and finishes snapping the green beans, her cheeks still pink.
“Since when does turkey make you blush?” I place the last dough ball on the pan and drape them with a towel.
She tosses the last green bean in the colander, then gives me her best evil glare. “Everything Law cooks makes me blush.”
“He’s good in the kitchen?” Oliver cuts the final potato and throws it in the large stock pot.
Skylar licks her lips and ducks her chin. “You could say that.”
Silence fills the room as we all stare at our friend, her cheeks closer to red than pink now.
