Page 45 of What if I Told You

Knock ’em dead tonight and then we’ll celebrate together!

Welcome to the team! - August

He knew I would be nervous on my first day.

He knew exactly what I would want.

He did this for me.

My heart swells as I tuck the note into my bag for safe keeping and then rip open the first cinnamon roll box. I tear off a piece of the warm gooey goodness and drop it into my mouth, savoring every pass over my tongue as my phone rings in my locker. Grabbing it from the shelf, I smile at the name on the screen and tap it excitedly to answer the call.

“Paige!”

“Ella!”

“Oh, my God! It’s so good to hear from you!”

“You didn’t think I would leave my girl hanging on her first official day as Lumin the shooting star, did you?”

I chuckle as I take a seat on the small couch in my dressing room. “Of course not. Hold on, I’m gonna switch to facetime so I can eat my cinnamon roll while we talk.”

“Uh oh,” she says. “Cinnamon roll, huh? You feeling okay?”

“Yeah, of course,” I say, attaching my phone to the cell phone holder near me. “But you know me. Cinnamon rolls are my nervous habit. Now I feel like I have to have one, you know?”

“Right.” She nods with an understanding smile. “For good luck.”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I don’t think you have anything to worry about. I’m sure you’re going to be great tonight!”

“Thanks, Paige.” I tear off another piece of my roll and toss it in my mouth. “So, how’s the hot goat dad? What’s the goat’s name again?”

She sighs. “His name is Winston. And his hot dad is dreamy in every sense of the word. I swear since he asked me to move in with him and stay in Tuft Swallow he is a whole new person. Even my friends in town are talking about how outgoing he is now. It’s crazy. Good crazy of course, but crazy.”

“Why do you think that is? That he’s so different, I mean.”

“Honestly, I think he’s finally forgiven himself for the accident he was in with his sister all those years ago. He had been holding on to that pain all this time and I really think that did a number on him. It’s like since she wasn’t here he wasn’t allowing himself to be happy.”

“I’m sure he has you to thank for that change, huh?”

She smiles. “Maybe. I mean I don’t want to take credit for his strength or his resilience because he’s worked through his pain all on his own, but I’d like to think my being here has had some kind of small impact on him.”

“It’s not small, Paige. You changed his life.”

“And he’s changed mine. But speaking of life changing…how are things in California? How’s Auggie?”

My cheeks redden at her question and she notices the coy expression on my face and gasps. “Noooo you did not!”

“What?”

“Ella! Did you sleep with August?”

“No. Of course not.” I shake my head adamantly and give her a nervous giggle. “It’s not like that. Although we did sleep together last night but we?—”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” she says, stopping me and waving her hands at the camera. “Let’s back up here. What do you mean you slept together last night but it’s not like that?”

Leaning forward on the couch, I bulge my eyes and as over dramatically as I can, tell her, “Paige, I lived through my very first earthquake last night!”

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