Page 43 of The One I Left Behind

“No, it’s just jealousy. Jealousy isn’t rational.”

Now Laurel rolls her eyes. “Okay, ready for another round?”

“Laurel…”

“Ben asks you to dance.”

“I dance.”

“He puts his hand on the small of your back.”

“I purposely slow down to feel more of his body against mine.”

“He takes you by the hand and leads you to the old barn…”

“I ride him like a cowboy.”

She grins. “Atta girl.”

I don’t mention that our spot isn’t the old barn, it’s by the river that empties into the lake in the middle of the Noughton property. A spot I hope was never built on as the younger generation has built their houses. I haven’t been that far into the property since Ben and I broke up.

“I think you have your answer.” She pats my leg. “Now let’s go, we’re going to be late.”

“There’s no specific time we need to be there.”

“You have to beat the imaginary blonde.” She laughs and walks out of my bedroom.

Twenty minutes later, Laurel parks her baby blue truck with The Sugar Cottage logo on the side of the long country road, along with the rest of Willowbrook’s residents.

I pull down my dress. “It’s so short.”

“Ben will love it,” she singsongs.

“Nothing like flashing the entire town.”

“Hush. You’re beautiful.”

We round the back of the Noughton family home, where the festival is held. People say hello to us, and we wave, moving through the adult crowd since most of the kids and teens arrive early and leave early. Clayton came by earlier with Drew and a couple of friends, but he left to go back to Drew’s. I feel bad for Betsy because it seems like that’s the hang-out house lately.

“Gillian!” Lottie raises her hand, standing off to the side with Sadie Wilkens, Jude’s best friend.

“Hey.” Laurel hugs Lottie. “Great party as always.”

“Hi, Sadie.” I hug her briefly, then Laurel and I switch places.

“I worried you weren’t coming,” Sadie says. “We saw Clayton earlier, and you weren’t here. Thought maybe…” She doesn’t have to say it. It’s the elephant in the room.

“Clayton is too cool to hang with his mom now, Sadie.”

She laughs and drinks beer out of her red Solo cup. “Well, you’re plenty cool in this crowd.”

As she says that, Jude comes up because he’s never far from Sadie. “Need another?”

“What, no hello?” Laurel walks over to Jude for a hug.

Jude hugs her, but not a full hug because that’s Jude. He’s way less affectionate than Ben is. “Gillian,” he says and gives me a one-armed hug.

“Done with party prep and ready to party?” I say, all too familiar with the tasks the Noughton boys and their cousins are mandated to do in order for the entire town to enjoy their Fourth of July party.

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