Page 105 of Recipe for Rivals

Time to put the past behind us for good and allow myself to consider her a close friend again. “Gracie Mae is a wonderful person, but I don’t feel that way about her. I don’t know how to be more blunt than I already have been, either.”

June held my gaze, standing straighter. “She’s been holding onto hope that you’d change your mind, I think. I’ve tried not to get in the middle.”

“I don’t want to hurt her, but I have feelings for someone else. I don’t know how else to say we’ll only be friends.”

June gave me a sheepish smile. “I can talk to her.”

“It needs to come from me,” I said.

She nodded, then tilted her head, her long, curly blonde hair trailing over her arm. She seemed hesitant, tense. We were never this strained before, back in school. “Is it Nova?” she asked.

“Yes.” I found her in the crowd again, talking to Desi Partridge. “I hope tonight is the start.”

“How do her kids feel about it?” Tucker asked.

“I don’t know. But they’re pretty rad kids, so I hope they approve.” I kept looking, hoping to see Brody mixed in with some of his friends, but he wasn’t here. My gaze dropped to June. “Anyway, I…uh…thought that in the spirit of honesty, I would apologize for making things difficult with us since you’ve gotten back. I’m super happy for you both.”

Tucker beamed at me, patting me on the back. “There we are. Only took you six months.”

I shoved him off playfully.

“Thanks, Dusty,” June said. We shared a look, and I felt the moment peace passed between us, the tension easing. She looked behind me. “Gracie Mae’s here.”

It was time. “Okay. See y’all.” I turned around, walking a few steps from them to meet Gracie Mae on our own.

She smiled widely at me, her blonde hair curled and makeup pristine. She was beautiful. “Hey,” she said, her smile growing. “Great crowd tonight.”

“You can always count on Arcadia to show up when it matters, right?” I asked. Before she could answer, I powered ahead. “Listen, I…uh…brought a date tonight.”

Gracie Mae’s face fell slightly before she fixed it again, a slight blip.

“I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else,” I continued. “But I think things are going well with Nova Walker, and…uh…I wanted you to know.”

Her expression looked frozen. “Yeah, cool. She’s super nice. That’s really great.”

I could see her fighting disappointment.

“So, uh…I hope we can stay friends, Gracie Mae. I really value your friendship.”

She nodded a little too enthusiastically. “Of course, yeah. I mean, I knew…it’s not like you haven’t said that before. I just hoped…anyway, thanks for telling me. I do hope you guys have a good time tonight.”

“Yeah, I’m sure we’ll see you around.”

It was palpably uncomfortable between us, but I couldn’t help feeling a wash of relief that we’d been honest and talked it out bluntly. She seemed to accept it this time.

I rubbed the back of my neck, anxious because I still couldn’t see Brody. “Anyway, I need to run. Gotta check in on a student.”

“Okay. See you around.”

I slipped outside, the late spring air pleasantly warm in the twilight. Finding Brody’s number, I tried that first, but it went to voicemail. Then I called his grandma and got the same thing. The longer the phone rang in my ears, the more nervous Ibecame. By the time I found the number for Pleasant Gardens, I was pacing.

Cindy answered the phone. I could tell by the slight rasp in her tone.

“Hello, Cindy, it’s Dusty Hayes.”

“Good evening, young man. I just saw your grandpa walk back to his room after dinner. Want me to put you through?”

“No, actually. I’m not calling about him. I was hoping to speak to Patty McAllister.”

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