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Yikes. I pocket the keys. “I assumed everything was ready to go.”
“Did Travis warn you the place isn’t furnished?”
I cough into my hand. “No Travis didnottell me that detail.”
Brie pulls her mouth to one side. “I can help with a blow-up mattress and a sleeping bag.”
“Really? You keep this kind of stuff on hand?”
“This is Bearwood. Camping is in our blood—or maybe you’ve forgotten.”
Dumb question. I guess I’m used to LA now where people glamp but never camp.
“I’m not so sure what else I have duplicates of. Maybe you should go stay with your mom?”
“Noooo.” Staying with Mom is not an option. “She’ll think I’m moving home, and I’m not.”
“You’re not?” Brie actually looks disappointed. I file it away to examine later. “I mean, you’re here for the holidays. Right.”
“Exactly, and I don’t want to give her the wrong idea. Besides, I prefer my independence. I can handle living in an unfurnished place for a couple of weeks if it means having privacy.” Bearwood doesn’t do the privacy thing well, which is one of the reasons I never came back after my parents split. An unfinished, ice-cold place is more favorable to me than announcing to my mom or the rest of the town that I’m back.
“I’ll gather a few things for you,” Brie says. “The utilities should be working by tomorrow afternoon.”
I stand awkwardly while Brie digs in her coat closet. She’s shaking her head and muttering something about her crazy day. I feel bad about adding to it and coming a few days early, but I blame Travis for not preparing her. Heck, for not preparing us both! Brie takes out the air mattress first, a twin size. I am built for a king-size bed, and the picture on the case looks like a toddler bed. Thankfully, the sleeping bag looks normal, and I tuck them both under my arms.
“Are you sure this is ok?” I ask. “I wouldn’t want to impose.”
She gives me a flat stare. “Are you planning on sleeping on the wood floor with your coat as your blanket?”
“I’ll just borrow these then.”
She nods. “That’s what I thought.”
“Thanks,” I say. “I’ll return them when I leave. Maybe I’ll see you around.” It came out with more excitement than intended. It should have been an obligatory see-ya-later statement.
She grins. “Definitely.”
Her smile was my undoing in high school, and I’m not completely immune to it now. I hesitate, wondering the right way to respond. She’s so sure we’ll bump into each other again—it is a small town—but as far as I’m concerned, her smile needs to stay far away from me.
It’s great to see her again, but there’s a good reason I haven’t said so out loud. Like with my mom—I need to maintain my boundaries. No use giving anyone the wrong idea about this visit—and no smile is going to weaken the lines I’ve drawn. I’m making an effort for Travis, but after I convince my mom to move to the city, I don’t plan on coming back to Bearwood. No point getting cozy here—orwithanyone.
Brie laughs lightly, my expression giving away my unease.
“You’re staying next door,” she clarifies. “We’re bound to see each other a lot.”
Right. Proximity wins. Travis owes me. He probably planned this whole thing from the beginning. But if I have anything to say about it, Brie and I will only be seeing each other in passing. The Mickey Mouse and pink sweatpants girl is going to be living in the North Pole as far as I’m concerned.
Chapter 3
Brie
Mondaymorning,IfindGabby in the music room laying out the classroom instruments and prepping for her day. Her thick, short, dark hair is pulled back in a tiny ponytail behind her head, and she’s dressed in a pencil skirt and flowy blouse. She exudes simplicity and elegance. I pounce on her. “You will never believe what happened this weekend.”
Gabby latches onto my arms. “You finally agreed to go out with Will Butler again?” Her enthusiasm is greater than mine has ever been on that topic. She loves talking about me dating again, but for some reason, I’m never allowed to encourage her.
I scowl at her red glittery fingernails, courtesy of our bestie Jocelyn, and how they’re digging into my arm. “I’mnotinterested in Will, remember?” Will teaches sixth grade, and he’s a good guy, handsome even, but there’s no chemistry between us. It would take too much work to date a guy I don’t feel anything for. I’m not practically minded like Gabby.
“You didn’t say no, did you?” Gabby pouts. “He doesn’t have to be your soulmate for you to date him.”
