When he pulled up to the café, it dawned on her that she hadn’t given him the name or the location. Had he been here before? She nearly asked him about it, but then snapped her mouth shut. “Let Grams know I’ll be home by supper.”
He nodded, and she climbed out.
Wynter didn’t risk looking back toward the truck until she was sure Marcus was focused elsewhere. She caught sight of the taillights right before the vehicle disappeared around the corner.
Straightening her shoulders, Wynter entered the café and immediately caught sight of her friends. Rose Taylor was dressed in an emerald-green turtleneck sweater and skinny jeans. Her curly red hair was pulled back with a large barrette, and it cascaded down her back. She held a mug of what appeared to be coffee or hot chocolate to her lips, and she was laughing atsomething Morgan was saying. The latter sported a blonde bob. Her flannel button-down top did nothing to hide her beautiful curves.
These two women couldn’t be more different. And when they’d all met at college, they’d even hated one another. Now, it appeared they were as close as could be.
Rose caught sight of Wynter first, and she waved a hand through the air. “Snowflake! You’re here!”
Wynter rolled her eyes but smiled all the same. Rose hadn’t been her favorite person, either. The girl was tough as nails and didn’t take crap from anyone. It was hard to get in her good graces, but once you were, you were there for life.
Morgan turned in that moment, her blue eyes lighting up with excitement. She squealed and jumped up from her chair to throw her arms around Wynter. “You’re here! When did you get in town?”
“A couple of days ago,” Wynter confessed.
Both girls gave her looks of surprise.
“And you’re just now asking to hang out? How dare you?” Rose admonished. “You swore you’d call the second you got in.”
Wynter tossed them each a sheepish smile before she slipped her purse onto the back of her chair. “Well, I’m here now. Things at home have been… chaotic.”
“Everything okay with your grandma?” Morgan asked, pushing a mug toward her. There was a leaf spread out in cream atop the latte.
Wynter smiled her appreciation to a friend she never thought she’d have. “Grams is fine. It’s the grumpy cowboy invading my space that’s the problem.”
Rose looked like a cat that had snatched the canary. She was always interested in good gossip. But Morgan looked every bit concerned as a best friend should be. “Who?” they asked in unison.
Wynter sipped her latte, then put it on the table. “Marcus Palmer.”
“Ah, that explains everything,” Rose murmured. “The one who got away, huh?”
Stiffening, Wynter gave her friend a hard look. “Don’t even go there.”
“What?” she asked, her tone dripping with innocence she most definitely didn’t have. “You told us all about the two of you when we were in college. Bumping into him was bound to happen.” She gestured toward the café. “You realize that his brother and sister-in-law own this place, right?”
Wynter’s eyes widened and she hissed, “I thought you said your cousin owned this place.”
“Jason? No, he just runs it. Anyway, what’s going on? He’s not bothering you, is he?”
“I thought the two of you were best friends,” Morgan prodded.
Rose gave them each a knowing look. “Best friends who crossed the line.” Then she turned to Morgan. “You remember the way she acted when she came home after Christmas that first year? There’s no way she doesn’t have a crush on him.”
“Had,” Wynter insisted. “Ihada crush on him. Not anymore.”
“Pfft,” Rose said with a wave of her hand. “You definitely have feelings for him if you’re this riled up after only being here for a few days. And who knows? What if he has feelings for you too?”
Wynter groaned. “Please don’t even go there. I don’t think I can take it.” She pressed her fingers into her temples and rubbed them in circles. “Besides, even if I did have feelings. And even if he returned them. None of it would matter because I’m not staying.”
Morgan pouted. “Why not? This is a great place to settle down and raise a family.”
Wynter gave them each a hard look. “You know my opinion on having a family.”
Both of them rolled their eyes. They each had five siblings. Big families seemed to be a thing around here, and Wynter had been the odd kid out. Not only did she not have siblings, but she hadn’t been raised by loving parents.
“Why can’t you at least consider it?” Morgan pleaded. “I’d love to have my two best friends in the same place for once.”
