AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bryce chuckled and waved goodbye. Every morning, without fail, Bryce walked Herman to the post office. They took off down the road while I waited for a car to go by and crossed at the crosswalk.
By the time I got to the store, Audrey opened the door to let me in. “You look really tired, Emily. You okay?”
I yawned, setting my bag down on a counter. “I think I stayed up too late trying to get things ready for Mimi and Grandpa.”
My sister sucked in a breath before pursing her lips together into a grimace. “Yeah. I heard about your offer to let them move in. Brave soul.” She patted my shoulder.
“I also remember something about Mom telling me all my sisters would help,” I teased.
She grinned. “Of course I will. Totally. Of course. You can count on me. Always.”
I laughed, pulling out the breakfast sandwich and handing her the hashbrown.
“What if they don’t move out?” my sister asked.
“Then I guess that means you’ll be getting a new roommate.” I chuckled, taking a bite of the sandwich.
Mae wandered through the entrance between her coffee shop and the antique store and waved.
“Good morning, Emily. How did everything go with Lucas after you left?”
“Uh… fine. Like usual. Why?” I cocked my head, taking another bite.
Why wouldn’t it have gone well? It wasn’t like we didn’t hang out all the time. And then it hit me. Maybe she knew something about Lucas and Clara.
“Just wondered.” She shrugged, glancing at my half-eaten breakfast sandwich. “Hey, she got a hash brown.” She pointed at Amelia and then at me. “And you got a sandwich? What about me? The older sister?”
“That’s what happens when you jump ship and open your new place. Besides, soon, I’ll be ordering pastries and muffins from you.”
Mae pointed at the entrance between the two. “Just right between there.” She could barely contain the excitement. I was so happy for her.
A few customers came in as I polished off the sandwich and threw away the bag, and Audrey went to help them.
Mae wandered back to her coffee shop and locked the door between the two buildings while I propped my bag behind the counter. I’d take it upstairs in a few minutes.
I thought back to what Bryce said about Rick. Was that true? Sure, he’d asked me out a couple of times, but it wasn’t really…
Actually, he had asked me out a few times, and he probably meant it.
I was so dense.
Maybe hedidlike me.
But I didn’t exactly feel that way toward him, and sure, he was super good-looking, but I didn’t get any butterflies or zaps of electricity.
Looking at him was like looking at most men.
Zippo.
Unlike Lucas.
All it took was a brush of a hand or a glance, and I was a goner for my best friend.
Which led me back to submitting to the poetry residency. The time apart would probably be a good thing, so I could get my head screwed back on straight and quit lusting over something I couldn’t have and shouldn’t have. He might even make it easy for me and find someone while I was away.
The thought felt like a hot rock in the bottom of my belly, and I scowled.
Audrey walked over and waved her hand in front of my face. “Yoohoo. Anyone in there?”
