9. Phoenix
9
PHOENIX
“ N oooo, not like that!” Navy pouts as I use the butter knife to frost my tree cookie with blue icing.
“Why not?”
My sister covers a laugh as she turns back to pull another tray of cookies from the oven.
“Trees are green not bwue,” she says with her sticky hands on her hips and more sass than her little body should possess. Huffing, she places a snowman cookie in front of me along with the white frosting.
“Should I try again?”
She nods, her blonde curls flying everywhere. “Like fwosty.”
“Like Frosty,” I repeat, my shoulders shaking with silent laughter as I press my lips together. Satisfied when I smear the white frosting on my new cookie, Navy returns to the ornament one she’s used every single color on.
Seems a little hypocritical to me.
But I’ve learned I’m almost always wrong when it comes to the pint-sized whirlwind sitting next to me.
Pulling out my phone, I snap a picture and send a text to Aspen.
PHOENIX: (picture of table covered in a mess of frosting and cookies)
PHOENIX: Apparently, I’m doing it wrong
I have no idea what compels me to send the text, but I wait with bated breath for her response.
ASPEN: I’ve heard that about you
PHOENIX: Tell me how you really feel
My reply is meant to be teasing but I’m mid-swallow when hers comes in, forcing it down the wrong pipe and causing me to immediately start coughing. Bristol looks at me, her eyebrow raised more out of curiosity than concern.
ASPEN: I tried and you shot me down
I read the text over again, doing everything in my power not to encourage any more blood to run south because now is not the time to remember the way Aspen’s body felt pressed against me in the darkened corner of the coffee shop.
She’d been so damn sexy that night.
Bold.
And I’d balked.
I knew she’d ruin me back then—but would she now?
It’s been months since then— years since that breakup—and really, what was I still holding on to? My relationship with April had been shallow at best. We’d been young, and she was right to turn me down when I’d asked her to marry me. And I’d held on to that feeling of rejection—of hurt—every day since.
But why?
My thumb hovers over the screen, my heart beating faster in my chest than it should.
PHOENIX: Maybe we should try again
Three little dots appear and then disappear.
And then nothing.
Forcing myself to put my phone in my lap, I finish frosting my cookie, making sure to adhere to the appropriate snowman etiquette. Navy squeals at my finished product, and I chuckle before muffling a groan as Bristol sets another tray of cookies down in front of us.
She must see my panic because she places a hand on my shoulder and grins. “You’re relieved of cookie duty.”
I barely stop myself from saying oh thank God, but just barely.
ASPEN: Impress me
Two little words stare back at me, a challenge.
A dare.
“Uh-oh,” Bristol says, looking over my shoulder as she reads the conversation on my screen. “You know she’s my friend, right?”
“You want me to stay away from her?” I ask, unease coursing through me because while Bristol’s disapproval would be warranted, it would also suck.
“No,” she says lightly, “I’m just letting you know if it ends in divorce I’m keeping her.”
I bark out a laugh as I stand, pocketing my phone and wrapping my sister in a tight hug. Bristol lost the love of her life, but now she’s here poking fun at me for trying to find mine. Could this be healing? For both of us?
Because for the first time since I returned to Magnolia Point, I think I might finally be ready to give love a shot.