Page 65 of Someday You Learn

“Fancy seeing you two here.”

Willow and I look up to see Hazel striding over to our table.

“You knew we were going to be here,” Willow says dryly. “I told you that when you texted me last night and asked what my plans were for today.”

“Was there a Sheppard women meeting this morning I wasn’t invited to?” Scottie walks over to us now. “I know Grady isn’t a Sheppard, but last I checked, he and I had been adopted.”

For a second, I let myself think about how if Parker and I were to actually get married, I’d become a Sheppard too.

You’re getting a little ahead of yourself, Cashlynn. Your relationship has to become real first, remember?

Astrid returns, setting a plate with two blueberry muffins in front of Willow. “Looks like the gang is all here this morning.” She leans over and hugs Scottie. “Are you here for your weekly apple fritter fix?”

“You know it.” Scottie leans over and says to me, “They’re the best thing Astrid makes.”

I chuckle. “Willow just said that about the blueberry muffins.”

Hazel holds a hand up. “Let me stop you there. Try her raspberry cheesecake cupcakes, and they’ll ruin you for everything else.”

Astrid dramatically fans her face with her hand. “Oh, you girls are gonna give me a complex.”

We share a laugh as Willow peels the wrapper from a muffin and takes a bite. “Well, Cashlynn and I are here to talk business.”

“Oh, I just wanted to say hi,” Scottie says. “I need to work on my lesson plans, but I couldn’t pass up the chance for some adult interaction. Most of the time I only get to talk to eight-year-olds and a babbling five-month-old.”

“What grade do you teach again?” I ask, slightly embarrassed that I don’t remember from the night I met her at the Sheppards’ dinner. But there were so many people and it was all I could do to keep everyone’s names straight.

“Third. That’s the last year where they’re still sweet. When they hit fourth grade, the sass kicks in and then I’m out.” She slices her finger across her throat dramatically. The girls laugh.

“You know,” I say, an idea sparking, “my gallery would be a great place to host a school fundraiser or take a field trip.”

Willow’s eyes light up. “Oh my God. I love that idea. When did you think of that?”

I reach for my notebook and open it to the earmarked page. “I’ve been doing research all week on galleries in other parts of the country, and then I saw an idea on Pinterest about water gun painting. I thought that would be something kids would love. I could even bring the supplies to the school and make it part of a field day—maybe tie it in with a color run or something like that.”

Scottie nods enthusiastically. “Oh, absolutely. They would be so excited, and it’s perfect for the end of the school year when they’re going bonkers anyway.”

“Yeah, just let me know when and we can schedule something.”

“I definitely will. When will you be up and running?”

I glance at Willow. “Well, that’s actually what our meeting today is about, so I’ll have to get back to you on that. If I had a business card, I’d give you one, but I’m working on that too.” Suddenly, I feel inadequate, putting the cart before the horse.

Scottie waves me off. “No worries, I get it. But count me in. My boss will be on board too, I’m sure.”

Leaning back in her chair, Hazel says, “Speaking of being on board, how’s your progress going with my brother?”

Scottie laughs, giving a wave as Astrid steers her toward the counter for her apple fritters. Willow gives Hazel the side-eye. “Hazel, this meeting is supposed to be about business,” she mutters, but then turns to me and waggles her eyebrows. “But that can wait. Spill.”

I groan, burying my head in my hands. “Um, well… I don’t think it’s going very well.”

Hazel reaches across the table and pries my hands from my face. “Why is that?”

“I feel like a teenage girl with a crush, doing stupid things to get a boy’s attention, but he’s oblivious, and I’m even more confused about how he feels about me.”

“What have you tried?”

I pick my head up and take a drink of my coffee. “God, this is good.”

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