Page 47 of Just One Season
Her friends cheer.
“Who votes they kiss?” Lachlan yells, raising his hand.
Harley puts his arm in the air. Raleigh and January both shout yes from the phone.
Lucy and I don’t move a muscle. Neither does Atticus.
“Four to three. It’s settled. This week—they kiss!”
Cheers erupt all around the room.
“We’ll be back late Wednesday.” I check on Lucy again. “How about Thursday morning?”
“I guess so,” Lucy says with a half-smile. “Thursday morning. Deep Roots Cafe. Meet you there at seven forty-five?” I nod. “One kiss. In front of Paul and Savannah.”
“What about tongue?” Lachlan says, his face a mask of fake innocence.
“Shut up, Lachlan,” I warn, but my insides shift. The idea of kissing this woman? I’ll enjoy it too much.
“But I’ll see you Wednesday at Ava’s soccer practice, right?” Lucy says.
“What’s this now?” Atticus asks.
“Oh, I’m helping Kellen’s daughter’s soccer team… why are you guys looking at me like that?”
Harley and Lachlan stare at her with wide eyes.
“You’re coaching the Snowballs?” Lachlan cocks his head.
“Yes, she is,” I say. “Don’t be dramatic.”
“Chill, guys, Lucy did this all the time back in D.C. Right, Luce?” Atticus says, but he knows it’s a big deal for me to let someone hang out with my daughter. He looks intently at me, and then at Lucy. I wonder what he’s thinking. The coach thing was his idea, after all.
“Wednesday night. Yup.” I turn to Lucy.
“And we should plan the breakup,” Lucy says. “After theretreat but before Christmas. That should be enough time to get them off your back.”
I blink hard, remembering that the whole purpose of this is to convince Paul I’m not interested in Savannah. “Sure. Will it be enough time for you? To give your old life a big ole’ fuck you?”
She nods.
“I think we’ll need to meet again as the Kellcy Fake Dating Planning Committee. Including your friends.” Harley gestures to the phone, where both women shout in agreement.
“When? If we don’t agree to a time now, they’ll try to wiggle out of it,” Raleigh says.
“Good point.” Atticus nods. “How about after the fall festival?”
“So maybe Sunday, October 13?” Lachlan stares down at his phone. “Kellen? Lucy?” Lachlan looks over at us. I give him a nod.
“Sure?” Lucy says.
“Then it’s set.” Lachlan stands. “Who wants another drink?”
“No one,” Harley says. “At least no one who plays hockey.”
We have some kind of plan, no matter how ridiculous it is.
And next week, I get to kiss Lucy.
