Page 11 of The Summer Intern

Matt shrugged."Sometimes arguing leads to good ideas."

five

Matt

April28

I stared down at my phone, frowning at the latest email from Casey.That little pink-haired troublemaker had turned me down for the job, but for some reason, he kept emailing me his "brilliant ideas" for the camp.And why did each one of the brilliant ideas cost so much?

If he was here, in person, I probably would have strangled him.Maybe.

Or talked it through and realized he was right, because fuck him.Why did he have to keep being right?

"Earth to Matt," Sylvie's voice broke through my Casey-induced trance.I looked up to see my friends giving me exasperated looks from across the worn Formica table of the Ridge Cafe.

"Sorry," I mumbled, shoving a forkful of hash browns in my mouth."What'd I miss?"

My brother, Ben, rolled his eyes."You asked Sylvie how things are going with her new rock gym, and she answered you.”

"Oh right," I said, trying to focus on the conversation."I’m sorry, thoughts were elsewhere.How's that going, Syl?"

My best friend, who was well aware of my ADHD, grinned, her freckled nose crinkling."Man, I wish Frank had told me how much of a mess he’d made of things before he sold me the place."She snorted."But it was worth it, right?”

I nodded.“You’ve loved that place since we dated.”

She laughed.“Since the pre-lesbian era.”

“Is that how it works?Weren’t you always a lesbian?”I teased.

“Nope, it was the sight of you naked in that hotel room after prom that turned me.”

I flipped her off.“Fuck you.I was hot at 18.”

“My point exactly.I knew, objectively, that you were a very attractive guy, but there was just no urge to jump your bones.So, lesbian awakening!”She did jazz hands.“Anyway, things are picking up at the gym.The new social media campaign Sutton suggested was genius."

Sutton blushed, scooting a little closer to Ben, who wrapped his free arm around Sutton’s waist.“It was nothing, just a few tweaks to what you were already doing.”

I reached out and patted Sutton’s hand, silently thanking my future brother-in-law for helping my friend.Sylvie had poured her heart and soul into that gym, and she deserved for it to be a success.My phone buzzed and I glanced down, wondering if Casey had emailed again, but it was just a text from my dad.

I shouldn’t have found that disappointing.

“So, Matt, I thought you had a strict ‘no phones at the table’ policy,” Ben said, waggling his eyebrows at me.“You don’t even like cell phones.”

Sylvie stretched her neck, trying to peek at my screen.“Maybe he’s addicted to Candy Crush.”

“He’s looking for messages from Casey.This college student he’s obsessed with,” Sutton said.

“I’m not obsessed!I just don’t understand why he turned down the job, but still keeps emailing me.”I looked at my phone again, scrolling to refresh the emails.

“Put the phone down," Sutton said, reaching across the table to take the phone out of my hand.“What is it you always say?Be present with the people right in front of you.”

A laugh bubbled up despite my frustration."Aren't I usually the one telling you to get off Instagram?"

Sutton's lips quirked into a grin."Well, well.How the tables have turned."He leaned back, crossing his muscular arms over his chest."Guess who gets to be the smug mindful hippie one now."

Ben and Sylvie burst into laughter, and I felt my cheeks heat.

"It's just..."I sighed, running a hand through my hair."Casey's got this new idea, and I don't know what the fuck to do with it."

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