Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
JOSIE
A week later
Maisie slapped a card down on the table, her eyes twinkling as she looked over at Lucy. Lucy’s return grin was sly when she laid her cards out. “I think I win.”
“Holy smokes,” Phoebe said with a grin. “You won, Lucy.”
Maisie shrugged. “You have to beat me sometimes.”
“I’ve beat you more than once,” I commented, reaching for the platter in the middle of the table to scoop more nachos onto my plate.
“You have?” Tiffany asked, glancing over.
“Yup. I just don’t like cards all that much. I enjoy watching them more than playing them,” I explained.
Farrah, who was new to me because she’d moved to town after I graduated from high school, shrugged. “I don’t really like playing cards. It’s never been my biggest strength.”
Maisie began shuffling the cards. She had invited me over to this gathering. It was a regular get-together among a group of women in town. I knew most of them from growing up together, but I’d been away for years, so there were some new additions.
Tiffany caught my eye, a glint entering hers.
“What is it?” I asked like an idiot.
“You and Tate.” A slow smile stretched across her face.
Casey plunked down in the chair beside me, returning from the bathroom and catching Tiffany’s comment. “Josie and Tate are a thing. He comes in every single day she’s working.”
My cheeks were hot as I glanced at her. “How do you know? You don’t always work with me.”
Casey shrugged. “Janet keeps me up to speed. She is one hundred percent team Josie and Tate.”
My face burned hotter as the group circling the table eyed me.
“I think team Josie and Tate is a great plan,” Maisie offered.
“You’re just saying that because you’re into firefighters.” Phoebe snorted.
“Most everybody at the table is either dating or married to a firefighter,” I said.
“I’m not,” Casey said with a shrug as she reached up to tighten her ponytail.
“Okay, you’re not,” I agreed.
“I’m not,” Phoebe said. “Although I’m a retired firefighter.” Her eyes arced to me again. “How are you and Tate?”
I considered the question and couldn’t keep myself from smiling. “We’re good. We’re really good.”
“I’m glad. You deserve it. Aside from Tate being a nice guy, you both got screwed over in high school. I’m happy you ended up together,” Phoebe said.
“Speaking of that,” Maisie began. “Kayla is running her mouth. She’s miserable because she and Lyle are getting divorced, and they’re both petty and immature.
But she was in the grocery store the other day talking to Tate.
I’m not the one who eavesdropped, but one of the women who works there heard the whole thing.
She told me Kayla was trying to tell Tate that they were meant to be together and that her biggest mistake was not realizing that in high school. ”
The collective eye roll from those around the table was enough to tip it over.
“Are you serious?” I sputtered.
“Yup.” Maisie nodded.
“Oh my God,” I muttered.
I hated the subtle burn of insecurity I felt.
In high school, Kayla had been the prettiest one.
She’d been my friend, so I’d never thought much about it.
I’d been focused on skiing and my own life while she’d been a cheerleader.
She was still beautiful with her glossy blond hair, gorgeous blue eyes, and willowy build.
I was athletic, and I appreciated that about myself.
Here and there, those old ghosts from high school would shout their doubts.
They were shrill and obnoxious. It had all been made worse when the boyfriend I thought I loved screwed around with her.
High school love wasn’t the way I felt about Tate, yet it hurt at the time.
It felt as if all my doubts about myself had been proven true.
I sighed and shook my head. “Of course she would say that. I hate small-town gossip sometimes. I hope she’s not running her mouth to other people.”
“I see her at the vet clinic when she brings her cat in,” Farrah said. “She doesn’t know I’m friends with you. She told me Tate doesn’t see what she meant to him.” She shook her head with a sigh.
“Never forget you came out on top in this,” Phoebe commented. “You were busy winning an Olympic gold, and Kayla’s been busy being bitter.”
I shrugged. “When I moved home, I didn’t want to have to worry about this bullshit. I wish they weren’t getting a divorce.”
“They both cheated on each other,” Phoebe pointed out. “Forget about them. You and Tate are going strong, and you’ll be the face of the new ski resort here because you’re amazing.”
I grinned over at her.
“What’s the plan with that?” Tiffany asked.
I quickly filled them in. Fireweed Industries had already hired me to help set up the website, and once the resort opened, they wanted me to help with ski lessons and public relations.
The conversation moved on from me, but the night reminded me how nice it felt to have my friends as my personal cheerleaders.
When I drove home later, I shoved my old insecurities away. I was going home to Tate, and we were going strong. I just wondered when I would have the courage to tell him how I felt.