Page 48 of Guava Flavored Lies

Lauren nodded. “We’ve been pretty terrible to each other. You worse than me,” she added with a momentary smirk.

“In your twisted little mind, you’re always the victim.” Sylvie heard her words, noticed how much bite was missing from them. Lauren was too close. The moment too confusing.

Lauren moistened her bottom lip. The gesture was so small, so quick. It had no business skyrocketing Sylvie’s internal body temperature.

“Can you imagine what might happen if you just let go?” Lauren’s question was barely above a whisper. Grains of sand shifted as she moved closer. “If you stopped being so stubborn and tried something a different way? What’s the worst that could happen if we got to know each other again? Or kind of for the first time?”

When Lauren reached out, Sylvie didn’t move away. She let Lauren’s fingertips slide over the top of her hand she was holding at her side. Allowed the shocks that developed along her skin as Lauren interlaced their fingers.

“Real life doesn’t work like that.” Sylvie resisted. “We can’t forget it.”

“We only need to forget all the things we think we know,” Lauren corrected, running her thumb over Sylvie’s knuckle, awakening the nerves underneath. “Replace those outdated or all-together-wrong data points with facts. What did you even do the four years I was in California? What’s been your longest relationship? Do you have any pets? Have you ever been to Machu Pichu? We think we know each other, but we don’t. Not really. Get to know me, Syl. Let me get to know you.”

Sylvie wanted so badly to say yes. Wanted more than anything to accept the olive branch. Maybe Lauren could help her figure out what to do with Freddie’s information. If she was honest, she’d even admit aloud that it would be nice to talk to someone who understood the challenges of her life.

“Pastry girls! You’re missing the party!” The woman from a neighboring booth shouted.

Her voice rocked Sylvie out of her fog. With the trance broken, she stepped back. Around her, all the tents had their flaps rolled down and were locked up tight. She and Lauren were the last ones left.

“I have to go.” Sylvie stepped away from Lauren’s confusing aura.

“I bet you’re working off a gnarly hangover,” Lauren guessed correctly. “What about tomorrow?”

“What about it?” Sylvie picked up an empty container and shoved it hastily into her cart. She couldn’t move quickly enough.

Lauren helped her load the cart. “How about tomorrow we get to know each other? I was thinking of bringing a little help. This is a lot by myself for a week.” She rearranged the contents of the handcart so the weight was distributed more evenly. “Maybe you could bring some help too? We could spend a little time together? As friends,” she tacked on at the end like it was a selling point.

“You really think we can be friends?” Sylvie challenged as she placed the last of her things in the cart.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, her smile sheepish. “But I’m willing to try. Are you? Or are you too chicken to be proven wrong?”

Sylvie laughed, the tension easing from her shoulders. “Proven wrong about what? I can’t wait to show you how stupid your idea is and how very wrong you are.”

Lauren grinned, her dimples cutting deep lines in her tanned cheeks. “So you’re going to bring someone tomorrow to cover for you? Maybe we can walk around and check out the festival, not just the tequila.” She winked.

“Ew, who winks,” Sylvie snapped, resenting the way her heart raced at the sight of Lauren brightening.

Lauren’s laugh lifted Sylvie like she’d been dragged away by a hot air balloon. Like she was flying over some picturesque desert vista.

“Whatever.” Sylvie rolled her eyes, her pulse pounding in her neck. “If it’ll make you shut the hell up. I’ll waste time tomorrow showing you we have nothing in common and hate each other for perfectly good reasons.”

The smile remained firmly painted on Lauren’s lips. Her eyes shimmered with devastating delight. The kind of glee that seeded deep in the belly and blossomed on the skin.

It was contagious. Against her will, Sylvie smiled before swallowing it down. “It’s just to prove you wrong,” Sylvie reminded her as sternly as she could.

Lauren obviously didn’t believe her for a second. Even Sylvie had to admit she was missing the usual bite.

“Tomorrow,” Lauren reminded her before sliding over the booth table.

Sylvie rolled her eyes again. “You’re wrong today and you’ll still be wrong then.”

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