Page 39 of The Even Odder Couple

Tess starts telling Mrs. Lockhart about a song she’s planning to teach the kids at camp. Something about a conductor. And instruments. When she acts it out, her top slips off her shoulder. Underneath is a thin-strapped tank. Like a camisole. Her skin is pale, with a dusting of freckles. Like the sprinkles on her nose.

Soft shoulder. Cantaloupe scent.

Stop it, Spencer.

No really. Someone’s saying my name out loud. It’s Tess. This is not just in my head.

“Spencer!”

I clear my throat, and yank my brain out of its Tess fog. “Excuse me. What were you saying?”

“I was just telling Mrs. Lockhart how excited we are for camp.” Tess goes to fist-bump me, but I miss. Figures. We’re never on the same page. “Anyway, we’ve got the programming all set,” she says to the mayor. “It’s going to be amazing. You should stop by to check it out sometime.”

“I most definitely will,” Mrs. Lockhart says, and her lips shift—almost imperceptibly. Still, I notice. Tess McCoy is a grin machine. Her smiles never falter. Until now. So one thing’s clear: she doesn’t want Mrs. Lockhart stopping by to check camp out sometime.

I wonder why.

“Tess and Spencer,” Bev calls out from behind the pickup counter. I glance at Frank and waggle my eyebrows.

“That’s us.” I lift a hand above our heads and point a finger at Tess and at me. “We’re TessandSpencer.”

“Yes.” Tess nods at the mayor. “That’s us. Two coworkers. Just working together. Doing work!”

“Hmm. If you say so.” Mrs. Lockhart tugs at her lapel. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to put my order in.” She turns her back on us and sidles up to the counter, while Frank looks on, shaking his head.

I gaze down at Tess and flash her a bright smile. Like smiling at her is the most natural thing in the world. Something I do. All the time.

See, Frank? ALL THE TIME.

“I’ll get our drinks for us,” I tell her, “if you want to wait for me back at our table.”

Do I add some extra oomph to the wordsourandusandwait for me? Yes. Yes I do.

But Tess ignores me and makes a beeline across the coffee shop.

My brother snickers. “Looks like yourcoworkerisn’t too happy with you. You’d better watch it, or there’s gonna be nothing but friction on the job.”

Great. Frank has definitely decided there’s nothing between Tess and me besides friction. And not the good kind. I’ve got to figure out a way to get him open to the idea that we’re dating. But the way he’s staring me down, I don’t think this is the right time. For now, I’ll cut my losses.

So I drop a bill in the tip jar, and collect our coffees and two stirrers. When I join Tess at the table, she’s busy texting on her phone.

“Everything okay?”

She doesn’t even look up. “It’s Nash. He’s confirming that their real estate agent has a bunch of showings arranged for this week.” I don’t like the cloud crossing her face. Tess McCoy is not a cloud girl.

“I take it that’s not good news?”

“It’s good for Nash and Emi.” She shrugs, still focused on her phone. “I’m happy for them. I really am. It’s just that I sort of love that house.” A sigh escapes her. “I’m not sure what I’ll do after it’s sold.”

I set her coffee in front of her. “Then it’s a good thing camp’s starting.”

She frowns. “How do you figure?”

“You’ll be distracted, working with the kids all day, and you’ve got a guaranteed place to stay at night.” Listen to me. Being all optimistic. Where did that come from?

“I guess.” Her voice is laced with doubt, so I try harder. Optimism overdrive.

“While you’re at the ranch, you won’t have to worry about keeping Nash’s house clean anymore. Just imagine. No cereal bowls to rinse.” I splay my hands. “You’re practically living the dream.”

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