Page 12 of Getting Over You

“You need EJ,” the girl corrects, shifting her weight onto one hip. “Have fun with that. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She waves, then she’s beelining for the parking lot out back.

“If you don’t shut up,” Rory grumbles after her.

The blonde sticks her tongue out in Rory’s direction the moment she turns her back.

When Rory throws open the door to Beach Brew, I’m greeted by the smell of fresh-roasted coffee. The lights are dim and the atmosphere is warm, and I wish this little slice of heaven would have been here for all of my other summer visits. It’s the perfect escape from the whirlwind that is Belinda. Maybe it’s the brick on the walls, or the dark beams on the ceiling, but I’m a sucker for a cool coffee shop.

“My favorite late night customer,” a voice says. The low chortle that follows belongs to a big, muscular guy with a dark beard, looking like he should be playing in the Super Bowl and not serving coffee.

“Plus one,” Rory says, pulling me closer to her. “This is Belinda’s daughter, Gigi.”

“You don’t look like a crazy person!” EJ says. “I bet you that she wouldn’t look crazy, didn’t I?”

I furrow my brow. “Thanks,” I say. “We might have the same genetics, but personalities couldn’t be more different between my mom and me.”

“Belinda made her drink a Diet Coke, EJ. Because, like, she thought she’d get fat. How horrible.”

“Truly deplorable,” EJ agrees with a solemn nod.

“That’s a big word for you,” Rory mocks. “Are you starting to think that you’re the brains in this situation, Sweet Pea?”

“And you think you are?” EJ asks Rory from behind the counter. He fiddles with the paper cup he’s holding, dropping it in the process. “Now I gotta start over. Damn it.”

“Watch it,” Rory warns. “Keep talking to me like that, and I might remain the only girl in this whole town this summer that you don’t sleep with.”

“Again,” EJ says flatly. “I think you mean won’t sleep withagain.”

I smile, making a mental note to get the details I’m missing from Rory.

“Just because you are a bitter cynic, Sweet Pea,” EJ says as he pours milk into two paper cups, “doesn’t mean our new friend Gigi is. Stop forcing it on her.”

“I’d like to think I’m not,” I say sheepishly. “More of the hopeless romantic type.”

“Don’t tell me you go around thinking every guy is the One,” Rory says, her eyebrows raised. “You don’t, do you? Come on.You’re a woman in your twenties; you’re too old to be that naïve.”

Marcus crosses my mind for the first time since arriving, the way I’d become so hopeful over the years that eventually lazy Saturdays in the boathouse would turn into him taking me to the yacht club for a party or decorating for my birthday just because he knew it would make me happy. Maybe it was naïve to wait for him.

“I don’t,” I tell Rory. “I’m actually just coming off a breakup. This guy from Connecticut, where I live with my mom and dad… We’ve been on and off since high school.”

“Don’t tell me you’re hung up on a high school guy,” Rory says, scowling. “Gigi. Please don’t.”

“I dumped him.” I don’t know why, exactly, I’m lying to these people I just met. But telling strangers I got dumped because the guy I’ve wanted to be serious with for years decided he, too, wanted serious—just not with me—is the definition of pathetic. “It’s fine. I got bored with it, so I moved on—totally normal. He was torn up, though.”

“A heartbreaker,” EJ says. “You and my brother will get along just fine.”

“Brother?” I ask.

“Cade,” EJ explains. “He’s a lot like you. He just dumped a girl that wanted to get all serious and smoochy with him. You guys can share war stories since you both hate love and happiness so much.”

“He’s hot,” Rory tells me, while giving EJ an amused look. “A jaw so sharp I’d willingly let him cut me with it.”

“Thank you for the mental image,” EJ says as he hands off the latte he prepared for Rory. He puts a cup in front of me, probably the same drink as Rory’s usual, whatever that may be. “Gigi?” he asks, motioning to it. “Coffee?”

“Black,” I say, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “Please.”

“Oh no,” EJ groans. “You and Cade, man. You’ll be best friends.”

Chapter six

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