Page 96 of Pin-up Girl

Listening to Dee yesterday, talking about everyone leaving her behind and thinking it was her fault Regina left, broke my heart.

I hated that Dee had to go through that. It was better, seeing her back home, Clint giving her a big hug. Reassuring her that she didn’t have to dance.

The ache of the entire conversation lingered in my chest, though. It was still there as I arrived at the park, for the Sunday picnic with so many of my friends. The frustration of seeing what Dee was dealing with blended with the fact that Sylvie still wasn’t talking to me. At least Grandma and Peter hadn’t been back, but I didn’t want to see her cave to their expectations.

No one should have to do that.

Today was for fun, though, not lingering on the unpleasant. Every year, the Sunday before school started, a bunch of us got together at the local park to celebrate the end of summer. Despite the fact that the season change didn’t mean much to most of us, since only a few had kids, and even fewer were school age.

The event wasn’t an official community thing—God forbid people go outside and enjoy each other’s company on a Sunday—but there were enough of us here that it might as well be. Most every business on Main Street was closed on Sundays, so this was the best time for us to all hang out.

I laid my blanket on the grass near several of the others, and settled in to watch as everyone else arrived and set up. A few people were tossing a frisbee back and forth. Gage and Sawyer were already on the grill.

Maddox had his camera out and was filming. He insisted that when the kaiju attacked, this would be the perfect found footage.

“If the kaiju attack, they’re not coming to Haddarville,” Brooke said. “The buildings here aren’t nearly tall enough to give them that satisfaction.”

I liked Brooke. There had been some animosity for a while, mostly on my part, because she was one of the people Deacon fell for. But she was kind, she’d raised great kids. Brian was one of them, and his twin sister was in Florida with her girlfriend and an apprenticeship working for a race car driver.

“Are you sure about that?” Adam asked from behind Brooke, and she jumped. “‘Cuz, rawr I’m a monster.” He pretended to bite her neck.

She squealed, but didn’t seem to be trying to get away.

“Ooh, zombie attack?” Deacon asked.

“Kaiju,” I offered. This was still weird. Seeing him always left a pit in my gut, which wasn’t easy given he owned the building and store next to mine.

But these days, the pit was more of a ghost or whisper—I expected it to be heavy, but it didn’t feel the way it used to.

“Hey, doll face.” Clint’s greeting was quiet enough that it was only meant for my ears, sent pleasant shivers down my spine. He settled on the blanket next to me, arm nearly touching mine.

It was weird keeping this kind of distance from him in public. Not unusual for us. Even before this whole marriage-with-benefits thing started, we were close. But no one knew. Dee didn’t know.

Which was perfect. Or had been. It wasn’t working for me now. I wanted to make what I had with Clint official. With Brodie, too. I didn’t want it to be fake anymore. The thought wasn’t abrupt, it had been building for a while, but putting words to the feeling was odd.

“You okay?” Clint asked.

I nodded. “But we need to talk when this is over.”

A frown crossed his face. “About us.”

He didn’t think I meant…? We need to talk was typically bad. I leaned in to whisper. “About us not pretending this is fake anymore.”

He visibly relaxed. “Yeah, we do.”

“No.” Dee’s scream made us both jump, and I was half on my feet before I realized she was laughing and playing with Kurt, Evie, and Elaina.

Dee had run a few feet, then stopped and looked back with a scowl. “You’re supposed to be shooting down the zombies chasing me.”

Kurt was fiddling with the controller for his RC plane. “I’m trying. It won’t take off.”

“Let me see.” Evie reached for the remote, and Kurt handed it over.

Dee ran back to join them. “I want to watch.” She stared intently as Evie worked with the device.

Sawyer would usually be a part of that group too. The exception being when Gage was cooking.

The dynamics had changed so much in the last couple of years, between all of us. New friends had shown up. There were more faces here than before.

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