Page 68 of The Problem with Perfect

She nods. “Yep. One more long-ass year.”

“And then what?”

Stace opens her mouth, but Connor speaks before she can say anything.

“She’ll be moving here so we can start our family.”

There’s a stilted silence, and I glance between the two of them.

“We haven’t ironed out all the details yet,” Stace eventually says. “But yes, Connor would love for me to move back here so I can be a nurse in town.”

I want to point out that Cedar Point doesn’t have a free clinic, which is what she said she really wants to do, but I keep my mouth shut. Those are conversations the two of them need to have, preferably when I’m not around.

“Hey, guys.”

I turn, spotting Rusty and Jackson approaching, probably having walked over from the new Cedar Cider site.

“Hi.” I can’t help the way I beam at him, and something shivers through me when he leans down and presses his lips to mine in a kiss that feels much less friendly than the way he used to kiss me in public. Now, there’s some extra lip action, and it lights me up inside.

“Stace, good to see you,” Rusty says, smiling. Then he glances at Connor. “Pruitt.”

Connor grunts but doesn’t say anything else, and I’m beginning to wonder how Ieverwas attracted to him. He’s so incredibly self-absorbed and, frankly, boring. Definitely something to run over in my mind later when I’m on the dock.

“Wanna sit?”

“I’ll join you for a few minutes if that’s cool with you, Jackson?”

Jackson nods. “Sure. I’ll grab you once I’m done.” He heads off down the street.

“So anyway, what were we talking about?”

“Oh!” Stace exclaims. “I was going to ask you guys—what else is going on this summer? I heard there’s some kind of festival in August, right?” She rolls her coffee mug between her hands. “I don’t want to miss out on anything fun.”

“Summerpalooza is in August,” Rusty confirms.

“And there’s a bonfire night every Sunday,” I add. “Though I’m pretty sure you knew that.”

Stace nods.

“There’s also the TBA Swim in a few weeks.” Connor puffs his chest out. “I’ll be competing.”

I barely refrain from rolling my eyes.

“What’s the TBA Swim?”

I look at Stace. “There and Back Again is a swimming competition that benefits the local library. Technically, the library was torn down a while back, so now all the proceeds go toward the rebuild. We’re really close to meeting the goal, and they’re hoping to break ground next spring.”

“Oh, that sounds so fun! Rusty, are you competing, too?”

Rusty opens his mouth, but Connor chuckles under his breath before taking a sip of his coffee.

“Care to share what’s so funny with the rest of the class?” Rusty asks, his tone sour.

Connor grins. “Just the idea of you trying to swim from South Bank to Miller’s Landing and back.” He shakes his head. “Sorry, old man. Leave the athleticism to those of us who haven’t passed our prime yet.”

I narrow my eyes, prepared to give Connor a piece of my mind, but Stace interjects with her own thoughts.

“Why do you have to be such an asshole sometimes?” she says, giving him a look that resonates with how I feel inside as well.

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