y thoughts kept spinni

started back at the gas station. I grabbed my phone, saved Isla's number, and pu

otal bitch. I didn't mean to. New town a

end, my screen lit

ned you he can be a jerk sometimes, but he has a good heart

ling her what her brother had

ll have to show me what peopl

pt the rest

p at 11. Good ni

osed my eyes, praying for

.

my back aching, and all I could think about w

hot," Grandma

activity. She'd already ordered a bed for me, knowi

s on," s

la for coffee around eleven. Wan

most of the day running errands. You ha

's not a big deal. I'm gonna go j

table for you. I'll probabl

as out, I dug a pair of jeans, a T-shirt, my boots, and my leather jacket out of my suitcase. Towel wrapped around my body, I p

n was fading, the air already sharp with the dry cold of coming winter. I'd always

I shoved the cash into my back pocket, grabbed my bag

d, smiling as

scarf?" Isla lau

t there, and it's not much warmer

never get cold? She w

d the dial anyway. "I figured we could grab coffe

g's better than starin

r grand

house. She wants to make everyt

ever gone without. She always mad

ghing as she pulled up to a small café. "It's no

d me at

. The place was tiny but cozy, and the rich sme

ou find us a table," she

oved people-watching-imagining their lives, guessing their stories. But my

ak

wasn't

setting a steaming mug in front of me. I stirred in some suga

sweater off, draping it over the back of her chair. I followed her l

ike meeting new

me. My eyes snapped away before I could stop them. It wasn't norma

w him. Why was I

sla whispered,

uh

her has that effect on girls. Maya, p

t that,

next to Isla. "This winter is going to be brutal." She shrugged of

o," I m

ady standing. "Then you can finish telling u

e a mischi

ped open. How

stomach rumbled. As if reading my mind, Brooke

d, pushing the plate towar

huge bite. The other two

f muffin. "I have a serious sugar addi

burst out

ong," Brooke said with a wink. "No

insisted, my voice d

h gave m

t help it. It's... weird. I've never felt anything li

significant look with Isla. "You've got

could tell there was someth

I'm jealous of the girl on

jealous type. I'd always been sec

as dif

, polishing off the rest of the muffin. I fought t

coffee, you guys want

, thanks,

t, you know," Brooke said quietl

ime I'd heard that to

it was true. I didn't do casual. I'd waited a

ck. "And maybe that's

The girl was gone from his lap, and he was

nds and then grabbing drinks for tonight,"

nig

onfire, beers, music... just a way to bl

here?" I couldn

y answered

beach is my natural hab

is weekend started