AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Nah.” He shook his head. “Why would she think you’re dumb? And for what it’s worth, women are the brains of the operation anyway, but I don’t think that matters. She keeps looking over here. I think shelikesyou,” he sing-songed in a teasing voice. “I wonder what this one will make you do.” He rubbed his gloved hands together.
“What?”
He yanked on my ear, which to this day still had a hole in it.
“Ow, f-” I cut myself off. “Why do you always do that?!”
“Because I think it’s funny as shit, Loverboy,” he said with a grin.
I shook my head and sped off to catch up with his troublemaker sons, but I couldn’t help but replay his words.Did she actually like me?I swallowed hard and searched for her again… But just as I spotted her, she was stepping off the ice to switch with a new monitor…
And while I’d never admit it aloud, seeing her leave did make my heart sink a little. And I honestly hoped we’d run into each other again soon…
10. Josie
I woke up the next morning wrapped in my down comforter, embracing the absolute luxury that was sleeping in.
It was tempting to stay in bed for even longer, but I could hear other voices floating up from the kitchen, telling me that at least one of my sisters and her kids were over. Plus, today was the big day: moving day. As soon as my dad was out of practice at the rink, he was helping me move to my new apartment.
I lazily rolled out of bed and reached for my glasses, not bothering to put my contacts in yet, pulled my hair up in a messy bun, and threw a sweatshirt over my pajamas before heading downstairs.
As soon as my sock hit the foyer floor, my niece Amelia yelled out, “Aunt Joey!” and practically barreled into me for a hug. All of my nieces and nephews called me ‘Joey’ instead of ‘Josie’ because when my first niece, Ava, started talking, she couldn’t pronounce her s’s. Amelia’s little brother, Matty, was right behind her, practically tackling me as well as soon as my sock hit the foyer floor.
“Woah, good morning, guys!” I said with a smile, patting them on the back.
I looked in the kitchen to see my older sister, Clara, pouring herself a cup of coffee.
I quickly swiped her cup. “Thank you!” I said sweetly, to which she just rolled her eyes.
“G’morning sleepy head. We’ve been here an hour already.”
“It’s only nine. The sun just came up,” I protested.
“Well, we heard it’s your moving day. We came to lend a hand.”
“Yeah?” I looked at her two little ones who were nodding furiously. “Thanks guys.”
“First day of break and I need them to burn off some energy,” Clara said, giving me a hip-check.
“Ah,” I smiled. “So, they’re home from school so you needed to find a free teacher to help you out?” I teased.
“I mean… I’m not saying that’s not what I’m doing,” she said with a chuckle.
“G’morning sleepy head!” my mom sang out, repeating Clara’s exact wording. My mom would be described as a five-foot-flat, sixty-year-old pixie dream girl. She’s an artist who works based on her mood– meaning, when the inspiration strikes, she creates a ton; other times, she doesn’t lift a paintbrush for months at a time. She married my dad, a tall, rule-adhering, rigid athlete, her total opposite, when they were sophomores in college. Because of their height difference, two of my sisters ended up with model height, whereas me and my sister Katie, who favored my mom’s genes, ended up around 5’2.
I rolled my eyes. “The one morning I don’t wake up before everyone else in this family,” I grumbled.
“Ready for the big day?” my mom asked, ushering the two of us to take a seat at the kitchen island.
“Actually, yes, I think I am,” I said.
“I think this will be just great for you,” she said confidently.
“That’s quite the change in tune,” I said, eyeing her skeptically. She was on Team Stay Home for the longest time.
“Yeah, well, I’m very happy with the apartment your dad picked out. It’s really rather lovely. And maybe you’ll meet a nice neighbor boy.”
“A nice neighbor boy?” Clara repeated dubiously, cutting me a sketched out look.
