Page 66 of The Fun Part
“Love you too.”
She hangs up.
I smile at her cheery bye. I’m glad she’s excited about the job because her relationship is a dead end. Big picture, she’ll be much happier moving on with her life.
Mackenzie
I walk idly down Main Street for the big Clover Park sidewalk sale, hoping a little shopping will lift my spirits. It’s the end of March, and the sidewalk sale is one of the ways the local businesses try to get more foot traffic. People shop while enjoying the music of the local band, Reverb, made up of the high school music teacher, his friends, and some students doing covers of music from the eighties.
I check out a cute boutique’s selection of spring dresses and sense someone staring. Cal just came out of Happy Endings. Hewaves. At least I get a wave after more than a week of ghosting. I give him a quick wave, feeling awkward and overheated, and go back to shopping. I didn’t expect him to come out for the Saturday sidewalk sale.
I glance across the street again but don’t see him. Guess I don’t have to worry about awkward conversation, though I would like to apologize for what he overheard before. I was in super-defensive mode with Harper and Rowan peppering me with Cal questions. I turn to go and walk right into a solid chest.
I jump back. “Cal!”
“You made Sutton an offer even though I didn’t fulfill my end of the bargain.”
I stuff my hands in my pockets. “It had nothing to do with our bargain. Sutton’s a valuable employee.”
“It’s a big step forward for her life. Just don’t tell her it was part of our deal. Can I buy you ice cream as a thank you? Heard it’s the best in the state.”
He ghosts me, and now he acts like nothing ever happened. I can’t let this one go.
“Listen, Cal, I’m sorry about what I said before. I didn’t mean it the way it sounded about being in a relationship with someone like you. You’re great, just not…well, you said you’re not good at relationships, and you just got out of one, so—”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“You seemed upset. You didn’t text me back.”
“I needed some space to get things straight in my head. So ice cream with a friend?”
I tilt my head. “Are we friends?”
“Why not?”
Oh, so many reasons. Let’s see—hookups one through ten; I find you irresistibly sexy and charming and smart.
And I’m stupid in love with you.
He smiles. “Come on, one scoop. On me.”
“Sure.”
We walk towards Shane’s Scoops, passing more sidewalk-sales racks and tables. The sidewalks are decorated with colorful chalk drawings. Kids always help decorate for local events.
“How’ve you been?” he asks.
“Fine. Sutton’s excited about coming out here and joining the Happy Endings Book Club. If I’d known that was a selling point, I would’ve mentioned it early on. I’m so glad she took our offer.”
“Her boyfriend is giving her a hard time about leaving. He said if she leaves, it’s goodbye forever.”
“So how did she decide to let him go? They’ve been together for a long time, right?”
“He didn’t want to get married. That’s all the answer she needed. She’s upset but also eager to move on and get a change of scenery.”
“Then it all worked out.”
He opens the door to Shane’s Scoops, and we join the line. The handwritten chalk menu declares the specials—chocolate brownie, peanut butter swirl, and mocha—and then there’s the usual lineup of awesome flavors.
