Page 29 of The Fangirl and the Grump

Life’s given her a real kick to the teeth, but she’s persevering. Doing the best she can until she figures out how to move on.

I watch as she laughs and jokes with Willow, leaving our depressing conversation in the dust. Watching them act like two lifelong friends instead of veritable strangers has me in awe of both of them.

I’ve never been able to click with people like that. Bram is my only real friend. We clicked instantly like these two seem to have done, but that was over two decades ago, before I shut down and stopped letting people in so easily. All of my other friends moved away after high school––and before the Cursed movies transformed Evening Shade into what it is today––so it’s basically just been him and Willow in my life since Grandpa died.

It’s been kind of lonely, but I’ve somehow convinced myself it’s better this way. I don’t need to force my negativity on anyone else. And I don’t need people thinking they can “fix” me. There’s nothing to fix. I like who I am. I really do.

“We need more shots!” Willow shouts suddenly, and my introspective thoughts scatter.

She flies out of her seat and heads for the bar. I turn my attention to Keegan, who’s pulled out her phone. She taps at the screen, then her face pales as a frown pulls down at her lips.

“What is it?” I ask, and my voice seems to startle her.

“Nothing,” she says quietly.

“It’s obviously not nothing,” I say, my voice gentler than it’s ever been with her.

Her lips pinch as she stares at me, then she sighs and turns her phone around so I can see the screen. I study the photo stretched across it. I recognize the skinny brunette as the one who insulted Bram and the tavern the night I first saw Keegan. She’s smiling brightly next to a guy with a smarmy smile and slicked-back hair. He looks like an asshole.

“I guess it’s official,” Keegan says, and the sadness in her voice has my eyes snapping up to meet hers. “At least they gave me a week to come to terms with the betrayal before rubbing it in my face.”

My hand snakes out before she can blink, and I snatch the phone from her grasp.

“Hey! Give that back,” she demands.

I tap at the screen a few times, then pass it over to her. She stares at the screen for a moment, then looks back at me.

“What did you do?”

“What you should’ve done the moment you found out the truth. Blocked both their lying asses.”

She narrows her eyes at me, saying, “It wasn’t your place to do that.”

I hold my palms in supplication. “Then by all means, unblock them so you can torture yourself some more.”

I take a long drink of my water, and Keegan stares at me for another few beats before locking the screen of her phone and slipping it back into her pocket. I can tell she’s irritated with my heavy-handedness, but also knows I’m right. There’s no good reason to continue to follow the people who broke her heart on social media. If she’s done with them, she should bedonewith them. Completely.

Willow appears beside me, a frown pulling at her lips like she can sense the tension. “What is it? What happened while I was gone?”

“Nothing,” Keegan says, plastering on a smile before I can answer. “Is one of those for me?”

Willow’s frown deepens as she shoots a glance in my direction, but she doesn’t press the issue. She just hands Keegan a shot, then slides one in my direction while plopping down into her chair.

We call out a cheers and throw the shots back, then a new song starts, making Willow squeal with delight. Jumping back to her feet, she grabs Keegan’s hand and pulls her up. Keegan laughs and follows obediently as Willow drags her toward the dance floor.

A waitress materializes next to me with a bottle of beer, and I look over toward the bar as I take it. Bram waves a towel at me as I lift the bottle in thanks. Then, turning my chair toward the throng of dancers, I sip the beer as I watch my sister and her new friend let loose to the heavy bass beat of the song.

Keegan loosens up completely, rolling her luscious hips and shaking that perfect ass until I’m panting for oxygen.Fuck, she’s beautiful. And sexy as hell.

I squeeze my eyes closed as I reprimand myself for those thoughts. She’s too young for me. Too fresh off a broken heart.

And she’s only here for a few weeks, not that it matters.

I don’t evenlikeher.

Okay, that’s a lie. Maybe I like her a little bit.

But she’s still too young for me.

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