Page 87 of Text Appeal

“Just as well.” Joyce blows her whistle again. “As I was saying, play nice or you’re out. Yes, I am looking at you, Emma. I don’t care if she is your sister. There’ll be none of that nonsense this week, young lady.”

A woman around my age sneers and flexes her fingers. The game might be Jenga. But the vibe is pure cage match to the death. I think the person standing on the other side of the giant tower of wooden blocks is mouthing something to her opponent. But I am not at quite the right angle to see what. Given the response from her opposition is to scratch her cheek with her middle finger, whatever she’s saying isn’t complimentary.

“Are you sure I can’t make you something special on the house?” asks the bartender. His name is Billy and, as my mom would say, he is cute as a button with his buzzcut and fade.

“No.” I smile. “Thank you.”

“Give it up,” says Shanti with much disdain. “She’s not interested.”

Billy shrugs. “She might be later.”

Shanti makes gagging noises. “The one downside to living in a small town…no…make that one of the many downsides to living in a small town. Being unable to escape your exes.”

“That was a long time ago,” says Billy.

“Not long enough for me.” Shanti puts her back to the bar.A definite statement made in body language. “Speaking of which, have you run into him yet?”

“Connor?” I ask. “No.”

She just nods.

I haven’t told her about my conversation with Lulu. To be honest, I am a little embarrassed to be standing here. But the lure of the man is intense. And it is about time for me to get back out there. No reason not to have a drink in my very local bar. It doesn’t have to mean anything. Mostly.

“You need me to give you a ‘you’re better off without him and he doesn’t deserve you anyway’ type speech?” asks Shanti. “Because I have a few at the ready. You know. Just in case.”

“No. But thanks for the offer.”

“Your loss. My motivational speeches are immaculate.”

I smile. The expression feels a little strange to me. Like I haven’t done it much lately.

“Connor is one of the good ones. But it doesn’t mean he doesn’t make mistakes,” she says. “When you get right down to it, relationships are complicated and messy and we’re probably better off without them.”

“Probably.”

Her head goes up suddenly. “Which also doesn’t mean you don’t want and deserve some sweet revenge. Billy. Psst. Come back here.”

“What,” he asks, slinging a cloth over his shoulder. The surplus of handsome men in this town has definitely been noted. My mood when it comes to romance, however, remains at an all-time low. Subterranean when you get right down to it. Or possibly lower.

“Riley’s changed her mind. She is charmed by your offer and will have one of whatever you’re making. Now.”

His smile is wide as can be. “Yeah?”

I give him a thumbs up. As the bartender gets busy, I ask, “Shanti, what’s going on?”

“Don’t look, but Connor just walked in with Stu, Lu, and Nic. I said don’t look!”

I stop myself from turning. Just. “Sorry.”

“Nic told me they might make an appearance. But I didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm you unless it was definite.”

“Oh,” I say, and it’s honestly all I’ve got. Even knowing this might happen, I somehow manage to be totally overwhelmed and underprepared.

“Who else is here tonight?” Shanti scopes the bar.

“It had to happen sometime, right?”

“Right,” she says in a perfunctory tone.

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