Page 107 of No Strings
And right on cue, Sawyer smiles the cutest toothless smile.
She sits down and we jump straight into conversation like we didn’t spend the last six years apart.
I fill her in about the shit show that was my relationship with Ethan. She tells me about things around here.
Almost everyone that left in our graduating year seems to have returned here or in Rafter Falls. Which is surprising because a lot of us wanted out. “Ethan is one of the only ones that hasn’t come back.”
And he won’t. “I hope he doesn’t, not until I’m gone.”
“You’re going to leave again?” Her cheerful demeanour changes, and I hate that I’m the cause for it.
I quickly back pedal. “I’m really not sure what I’m going to do. There’s nothing here job-wise. Plus, I didn’t hate being out west.” The last statement shocks not only Paige but myself.
She takes a sip of coffee before asking the obvious. “You liked out west, or you liked the company?”
“Oh please, Rhys hasn’t changed much. Still pissed me off to no end.” It’s my turn to take a sip of coffee. But because I’m trying to not give anything away, not to add theatrics to a question.
“I don’t know Morgs,” The nickname she called me in high school rolls off her tongue with ease; I’ve missed it, feels right. “Maybe you two should have just had sex.”
I choke on my coffee, and feel my cheeks flush.
“Oh my god! You guys totally did.”
I stir my coffee, suddenly finding that more interesting.
“Spill.”
When I look at her, she is practically rattling in her chair with excitement.
“We did, a few times. Friends with benefits situation. You cannot tell Shane!”
“And?”
“And what?” She gives me heroh pleaselook.
Her phone rings, saving me from talking anymore on the Rhys subject.
“Hey babe—” She frowns. “Babe?” Her face goes from frown to shock. “Okay I’ll see you at home.” She hangs up the phone and starts to pack up her things.
“Everything okay?”
“Ah, I’m not too sure. He just said he needs me to meet him at home. He sounds off.” She picks Sawyer up from the highchair. “Sorry, I have to go, but I want to know more about you and Rhys. Call later?”
“Yeah no. We’ll chat later, but not about Rhys.”
She waves me off.
By time I do what I need while in town, I head back to Shanes; who is home. Strange. Since I’ve been back, he is rarely home this early. Unease settles over me.
I barely get in the door, when Shane is ushering me in. “Jesus what is going on?”
He takes the bags from my hands, looks at them, then back to me but doesn’t say anything. Just busies himself with taking them to the kitchen. Do I follow him or…
Once he places them on the bench, he tells me to sit down. This isn’t good news. I watch him pace, and my heart sinks deeper and deeper into a pit.
“Oh my god, Shane!”
He stops pacing and looks at me, he looks hesitant but still says, “Okay, um, you remember the Stone’s from school?”
