Chapter 6
Cecilia
We exit the diner and sit on a bench. Trena fiddles with her to-go box in silence, letting me know that her wheels are spinning once again. Admittedly, what happened in the diner was a lot.
Lennox and Blake are already gone. If I tried to sort out why I want them so badly, my brain is too jumbled to give me a clear answer. Luckily I don’t need one.
They’re the perfect outlet now that I’m single. No immature antics from guys my age. No awkward groping when we make out. The way Blake grabbed my wrist was a real panty-drencher.
Panties. That’s a good conversation starter. “My No Panties Day parade will be epic.”
“That’s what you’re thinking about right now?” Trena’s exasperated.
“Mostly the no panties part.” I wink.
“You’re seriously going to make me move to Eggplant Canyon by myself?”
“I’m not making you do anything. I’m the one who wanted to live somewhere fun.” I grab Trena’s to-go box and tear off a piece of her cinnamon roll. When I try to give the box back, she waves me off.
“You’re impossible, Ceci.”
“First, I’m impulsive for wanting to leave. Now, I’m impulsive for wanting to stay.”
“You change your mind every five seconds.”
“Says the bestie I’ve had for years. And my parade? I’ve been planning that for months.”
“Right, your parade that you were willing to give up when you decided to move.”
“It was just going to have a new location.” I help myself to more of her roll.
“Please move with me to Eggplant Canyon, so I don’t have to live in limbo until you get tired of those guys. I still can’t believe you let him…”
Trena keeps talking, but my mind has wandered off.
I’m not normally one to think the universe is crafting synchronicities, but… what if I had to have that argument with Henry so I would run into his dad?
“Ceci!”
My head snaps to Trena’s glare.
“You weren’t even listening.”
“I’m sorry.”
She flops against the wooden planks of the bench. “Quit acting so starry-eyed. Those old dudes—including Henry’s dad—aren’t going to swoop in and give you a happily ever after.”
The swirly feelings in my chest, the way my heart is racing, the thoughts of a future with those guys… “I bet they’ll give me a happy ending.”
My sing-songy silliness makes Trena laugh even though she tries to hold it back. And it takes the pressure off feeling all the feelings.
She rolls her eyes. “You’re impossible. There is no way you hooking up with Henry’s dad or the other guy is a good idea.” Her steadfast plea gets whiney. “Please move to Eggplant Canyon with me.”
Why do these pesky feelings keep making me swoony? Oh no!
“What if I’m in love?” The starry-eyed vibe of my response shocks me as it hits my ears. It was supposed to be a cover for the annoying feelings, not a confession.
Trena laughs. “You? In love? With them? Them… as in two older guys, one of whom is Henry’s dad? And yes, I will keep repeating that until it sinks in. It’s not love. It’s revenge.”
“It’s not. I promise! I didn’t even know who he was when my stomach first…”
Trena’s eyes go wide. “First what?”
The waving of my hands is supposed to serve as an answer.
“Ceci?”
“I don’t know. My stomach just felt weird.”
“Nausea?”
“No.”
“Disgust?”
“No.”
“Nervou—”
“Shhh…” I press a finger to her lips. “Fine. I’m attracted to him—them.”
“They’re like twenty years older than you. It’s lust, which can be solved with a reverse harem in Eggplant Canyon.”
“I can’t explain why, but I need to do this.” Exactly what this is and how that will happen is undetermined.
Trena sits back, letting her head flop against the building. “The only way I’ll agree to this is if we pick a move date.”
“And because you like having a front-row seat for the fun I provide.”
“You and Henry’s dad? Um, no. How long do you need?”
“One week.” That shouldn’t push her limits.
“And what is it you’re trying to determine?”
I’m far from ready to admit that I can see a future with these guys—a house, babies, commitments. Ugh. “Can’t it just be fun?”
“They say you’re more likely to reach a goal if you write it down or tell a friend.”
“So you want me to succeed? Even if it means I might not want to move?”
“I want you to do what’s right for you.”
“Same, Trena. We’ll figure this out.”
She grabs my hand then pulls back when she touches the frosting remnant. With a shake of her head, she pulls a tissue from her pocket and wipes it clean.
“My goal… I want to find out what these feelings are and if they’re mutual.”
“With one or both?”
“Umm… With both of them. Can I have two weeks?”
“One, and you have to be yourself.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Don’t lose track of yourself just to get back at Henry.”
“Seriously, this isn’t revenge. I should have ended things with Henry a while back.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t. Don’t let your pride get in the way. The only way you’ll know if your weird belly thing is something more than gas is if you’re honest with them.”