Shy Girls Can’t Date Frenemies (Shy Girls Sweet Romances)

Chapter 1

One

“I’m so bummed I have to work,” I grumble from behind the counter at the cafe. “What fun stuff have I been missing out on?”

“We haven’t headed to the skatepark yet, if that’s what you’re asking,” Tyler says with a smirk as he takes the cardboard box of bakery treats. “Kai was adamant we can’t go there without you.”

I groan. “I wish my aunt could cut me some slack and let me skip one Sunday shift.”

Tyler laughs. “You act like you’ve got the strictest parent out of all of us. Do you realize we’d all do anything to live with your Aunt Maddy.”

I roll my eyes. Everyone thinks I get away with murder because my aunt is in her twenties. Plus, my friends are guys who think she’s hot.

“Hey Tyler,” Aunt Maddy says, walking out of the kitchen with two plates of food. “Are you picking up Mrs. Nelson’s order?”

Tyler pats the cardboard box. “Yeah, I’d better get back before she flips her lid.”

Aunt Maddy smiles and moves over to a table, saying, “See you soon.”

Tyler looks back at me, gesturing to the box. “Thanks again for these.”

“No problem,” I say as Kylie makes her way behind the counter. “Kylie made the cookies and muffins this morning.”

Kylie glimpses Tyler, and then puts her head down as she moves past me.

Tyler waves and leaves, and anxiety floods through my body.

It happens around most women, but especially girls from my school.

Whenever I’m around other girls, I get the same feeling.

Slight dizziness, dreaded clamminess, a sloshing stomach, knocking knees, and horrible stammering.

I flex my trembling fingers, trying to get it together. Perhaps if I envision Tyler still standing at the other side of the counter, my body will calm down. Kylie turns from washing her hands at the sink, and there’s a calmness about her. With Tyler gone, so is the redness blotting her face.

She eyes me warily, frowning. My shoulders lock and I recoil.

“How do you do that?” she asks in a timid voice.

“Huh?” My heart pounds as my imagination fires up the worst possible things she could ask me.

She huffs and grabs a wet cloth, running it along the counter. “You talk to them like it’s nothing.”

I scratch my head, digging my nails into my scalp. My mind whirrs, creating a more horrible situation than what’s currently happening.

Kylie scowls, muttering under her breath, “I don’t get why boys like you.”

I turn away, letting my eyes roll. Yeah, freaking, right.

Boys don’t like like me. I am the most friend-zoned girl ever.

Not that I’m romantically interested in any of my friends, but besides them, there are no other boys in my life.

Plus, they keep me around because I’m a tomboy.

If they knew I secretly wanted a boyfriend and fantasized about kissing my perfect guy, it’d be friendship over.

I don’t know if life would be easier if I had other girls to talk about this stuff.

I mean, I have Aunt Maddy, but she’s not another sixteen-year-old girl.

Kylie is, and in a year of working together, we’ve barely shared a five-minute conversation.

Part of me wants a friend that is a girl, but the other part remembers how my mother warned me about other women.

“Hi Jamie,” an enthusiastic yet grating voice says from the other side of the counter.

My jaw clenches and I push all my effort into a smile as my head pivots toward him. “Hi David. Maddy’s taking orders at a booth.”

David glances over his shoulder and turns back to me with a cheesy grin. “I know. I gave her a wave as I came in. If I hadn’t seen her on the way in, I would’ve thought you were her. You both have such similar side profiles.”

“Mhmm.” It comes out through tight lips. Everyone asks if Maddy and I are sisters because there’s only twelve years between us. It trips most people out when they learn that the reality is Aunt Maddy is my sole caregiver.

“Oh, but you’re so young,” customers always say to Maddy. Regardless of her age, she didn’t have a choice. Mom was gone when Maddy was eighteen, and it was only us and Grams left.

Kylie leaves the counter to clean an empty section, and David asks, “Has it been a busy day?”

“Sundays always are,” I reply, looking at his linen charcoal suit, crisp white shirt, and red with white pinstripe tie. Who dresses like this on a Sunday? Unfortunately, he’s like most people in Victoria Falls. Mr. Stuffy wants everyone to know he has a high-paying job.

“Yeah. The pancake stacks are legendary,” David says, cheesy smile maxing out.

I wish he’d stop trying so hard with me. Does he not realize I find him so annoying?

I tap the register screen and open a new order. “Do you want to order a stack?”

A phony laugh rumbles out of David as he pats his flat belly. “Not today. Instead, I’ll take a double shot caramel latte.”

As I tap the screen, Aunt Maddy jogs toward the counter. “Don’t key that in,” she tells me in a rush. “I’ll just make it for him.”

I huff and delete the order as Maddy pecks David on the cheek. She blushes and murmurs, “Hello,” and then slips behind the counter. The two exchange moony-eyed glances and I need to turn away.

Aunt Maddy never lets David pay. I get it, she wants her new boyfriend to like her, but he has money.

His repeat business would be good for daily takings.

Granted, my best friend Kai never pays, but he’s been in our lives for years and he helps out while here.

David has never rolled up his sleeves or even offered to help.

He just stares at Aunt Maddy with that cheese ball grin and gives her flirty compliments.

Okay, yes, I might be jealous. More importantly, however, I don’t get what Maddy sees in him besides the flirty banter and dope suits.

Aunt Maddy hums as she works at the coffee machine. Her lips quirk like she can’t wait to finish and cuddle up to Mr. Stuffy.

“Aunt Maddy, don’t forget we gotta go soon.”

She looks away from pouring the frothed milk. “Huh?”

“Kai’s birthday,” I say like it’s obvious, because it is. “You gotta drive me over soon. I’ve already missed out on most of the day because I had to work.”

Aunt Maddy finishes up David’s latte while simultaneously mocking me. “Oh, poor baby, she had to help pay the bills.”

I groan with a whopper of an eye roll. “Ugh. I don’t care about the work. I just don’t want to be late because you’ve got your flirt on.”

“Chill out,” Maddy replies, turning from the coffee machine with the latte. She slides it across the counter with a pearly smile. “Here, David.”

“Thanks, honey,” David says, lifting the tall paper cup.

Honey? Really? That’s where they’re at?

Aunt Maddy moves to the back corner of the work station near her office. She picks up the wad of unopened mail and says, “I’ll just finish up and we can go.”

David sips from his cup and purrs an “Mmm.”

Maddy grins like she’s won a trophy. “Good, hon?”

“Perfection, as always,” David replies. He then motions the cup at me and says, “You know, I can give Jamie a ride to wherever she has to go. That way, I’ll be out of your hair until you’ve finished up.”

“No,” I blurt before Maddy has a chance to speak.

Aunt Maddy splutters a cough, her eyes wide like she’s both shocked and disappointed in my blunt tone.

I clear my throat and backtrack. “Didn’t you want to say happy birthday?”

Aunt Maddy purses her lips, and it’s a sweet relief when she nods. Phew.

“Thanks for the offer, David,” Aunt Maddy says, “but I do want to say hi to the boys on their birthday.”

“Boys?” David asks with intrigue that seems at least half fake.

“Twins,” Maddy elaborates. “They’re Jamie’s friends.”

“Well, Kai’s my friend,” I clarify.

“Jamie,” Aunt Maddy grizzles as she tears open an envelope. “You be nice to Milo today. It’s just as much his birthday as it is, Kai.”

“Oh my gosh, of course I’ll be nice to him.”

Aunt Maddy gives me a dubious look. “You got him a gift?”

“Well, no.”

Maddy frowns, tossing the open bill on the workstation counter.

“Why would I? Milo’s a snitch.”

“Be nice,” Maddy says, moving onto the next envelope.

“It’s true,” I persist. “Anytime Milo hears about something Kai and I are planning, he rats us out to his parents.”

Aunt Maddy chuckles. “It’s a good thing too, or I wouldn’t have a clue what you guys get up to.”

I groan. “Ugh. You are being so uncool right now.”

“Do I have to remind you that Milo got you a gift for your birthday?”

“He just chipped in for the rollerblades.”

“His name was on the card,” Aunt Maddy doubles down.

“His parents made him do that.”

“And now your aunt is making you get him a gift.”

“It’s Sunday afternoon,” I argue. “We’ll never find something and get to the house on time.”

“And whose fault is that?” Maddy says matter-of-factly as she slides the next bill on the counter. She lifts the next sealed envelope closest to her eyeline and takes in a sharp breath. “Why is your school sending me a letter?”

“Huh?” My posture slumps as I step closer to her.

Aunt Maddy tears open the envelope and yanks out the letter. She unfolds it, reading each line carefully.

“What is it?” I ask with trepidation.

Maddy lowers the letter and shakes her head, keeping her rigid expression steady. “You’re in so much trouble.”

I suck in a breath and hold it for two beats. “What?”

Maddy grabs my wrist and calls out to Kylie, “Kylie, can you watch the counter, please? Jamie and I will be in the office.”

“Sure thing,” Kylie calls back.

Maddy tells David, “We’ll be right back,” and then yanks me into the office, closing the door behind us.

“Aunt Maddy, you’re freaking me out. What did the letter say?”

Maddy swishes the letter beside her with an angry grip. “Ashworth Academy is threatening to take away your scholarship.”

“What?” I yelp. “They can’t do that.”

“Yes, they can,” Maddy replies. “When you slack off and let your grade average tank, they have every right to take it away. You knew the scholarship was contingent on your grades. How could you do this?”

“I didn’t mean to,” I say with a pathetic pout.