Page 30 of Side Hustle
“Who had sex in the sea cave a few weeks ago?”
The last question thrown at us had me and quite a few other citizens chuckling. The town legend stated that gold would be found in our hills again once the right couple had sex in a cave. There’d been a few earthquakes after people had snuck off to a sea cave over the years, but so far, no gold.
“We don’t know yet how much gold is in this one cave. We’ll know more when the company I’ve hired is here in town and has had a chance to take a look at the cave. To answer some of your other questions, I’m splitting it with you all because that’s what this town is about. I’ve grown up here, born and raised. This isn’t about any one of us. It’s about all of us. The wealth should be shared.”
More murmurs from the crowd buzzed around as the town notary, the shy secretary from City Hall, came over and got started on the contract just as I’d asked her to.
“You didn’t answer the best question,” Titus hollered above the heads of everyone waiting to get into the festival. “Who had sex in a cave?”
I rolled my eyes and let everyone chat it up amongst themselves while I signed the contract. Hazel stayed by my side, her familiar vanilla scent keeping me grounded despite the bead of sweat dripping down my back at having been the center of attention.
The secretary handed me the notarized contract, and after a quick smile and a whispered thank you, she was off. The gates to the park opened behind us and citizens went through to get to the festival, mostly the families with little kids who didn’t understand what all the gold commotion was about.
“You did great.” Hazel beamed up at me, the afternoon sun highlighting the caramel streaks in her dark hair.
The superhero born in my chest for the first time that day came out to play. I didn’t hear the crowd around us, or feel the sun on my neck. All I saw was Hazel, this person I’d hated for so long I couldn’t remember why I disliked her. I’d been an idiot. And goddamn it, today was the day I stopped being an idiot.
I wrapped my arms around her and swooped her to the right, dipping her down and kissing her like there was a camera on us, a red carpet beneath us, and a whole fandom to impress. She gasped but quickly got into it, teasing my tongue with hers and clinging on to my shoulders for dear life.
A throat clearing nearby interrupted the best kiss of my life and brought me back to reality. Shit. The press conference. With regret, I pulled her upright, close enough to rub my nose against hers before stealing another quick peck. Her eyes were wide and sparkling, despite me outing us in front of the whole town without getting her permission ahead of time.
“I do like surprises…” she whispered right before giggling.
I grinned hard, feeling more alive by the second. I kept an arm around her waist, but faced the crowd that hadn’t fully dissipated. They stood around in clusters, talking about the discovery and what it meant for our town. Our friends had pushed to the front, probably wanting more answers.
“We totally did it in a cave.” Titus swatted Amelia’s butt, which earned him a dirty look. “Recently too.”
“Yeah, yeah. How the hell do you think I got pregnant?” Lenora tossed out, Jayden looking a little embarrassed yet proud at the same time as he rubbed her extended belly.
“Listen. Lucy and I were the originals. We totally broke that cave in.” Bain puffed his chest up and Lucy just blushed.
Charlie frowned. “We rarely do it in a bed. It’s almost always a cave for us. Keeps us connected to nature, you know?”
Finnie rolled her eyes, but giggled and whispered something in his ear. Charlie didn’t even look at us before grabbing Finnie and hauling her over his shoulder. “Gotta go,” he said, walking straight to the parking lot without an apology. Finnie just laughed and gave us a little wave from upside down.
“Wow…” Hazel said, her eyes wide watching them go.
She liked that? The caveman thing? I could totally do caveman.
Poppy whacked me in the chest and broke into our circle, her hair a subdued blend of green and blue today. “Please. I’ve been in those caves since before y’all were born. If that gold is due to frisky business, I’m your girl. You’re welcome, by the way.”
She took a little curtsy, like she was solely responsible for the gold being found. Amelia snorted. Lucy sighed. I shivered at the thought. Why did Poppy have to always be in the middle of everything in this town?
Hazel put her hands on her hips. “Um, excuse me. We literally just said Rip and I found the gold. So,you’rewelcome.”
Amelia spun to us in a flash. “Oh really? You didn’t tell us that the other night. So…you and Rip…?”
Everyone looked from my face to Hazel’s and then back again.
Hazel’s cheeks went bright red. I smirked, unable to keep from laughing at their suggestion. I didn’t mind people thinking she and I were together. If I had my way, we’d be together like that very soon. I was just waiting to have that conversation with Hazel. Alone. Not in front of the whole town or even in front of our friend circle.
“You know that’s all highly unsanitary.” Penelope’s grating voice cut into the charged silence. We looked over to see the town meter maid in street clothes just a few feet away, her short bob of blonde hair looking less severe outside the confines of her usual bun. The grimace, though, that was familiar. I didn’t think her face made any other expression.
“Oh, loosen up, Fines! I’m sick of your shit,” Lenora said, voice rising. She shook off Jayden’s protective arm and swung her bag at Penelope, who had the good sense to hustle through the gates into the park and away from the crazy pregnant lady. The rest of us stood there in shock.
Lucy ran to pull Lenora back to our group, confiscating her handbag and handing it to Jayden for safekeeping. “You okay, hon?”
Lenora gave a last menacing look at the gates before answering. “Can you believe that hussy tried to write me a ticket for parking in the pregnancy parking space they reserve in front of the Forty-Diner? I’m literally due any day now!” She pointed at her protruding belly.
