“I need sunshine on an unhealthy, desperate level,” she groans.
“Just a few more days and you’ll be stretched out on a pool chair, drink in hand, thoughts of this café and school all melting away,” I tease and wipe down the counter.
“Ugh, I cannot freaking wait. Are you going anywhere for the holidays?”
I shake my head. “Just back to my parents for a few days over Christmas, but otherwise no.” We never travelled much, outsideof hockey tournaments, and after my dad had his car accident, it became even less of a priority.
“Well at least you don’t have to work. I’m ready to shut this place down for a bit.”
“Seriously,” I say, although I sort of wish they left the café open over winter break. It wouldn’t make sense to pay to staff it when barely anyone is on campus, but both this and tutoring are on hiatus for the next month, and I know it’s going to be tight making my paychecks stretch.
Krista glances around the near-empty café and setting sun. “Why don’t you go ahead and head out? I’ll punch out for you in a little bit, but no use for both of us just sitting here for the last hour?”
“Are you sure?”
She brushes me off. “Yeah. You’ve helped my ass out more times than I could count over this semester. Go on home and enjoy an early start to your break.”
I hesitate, not wanting to leave her high and dry, but she’s right. We’re not going to get many more students in the last hour we’re open, and the idea of getting home at a decent time for once is appealing enough to have me shucking off my apron and tossing it in the laundry bin. “Thanks, girl. Have a great vacation. Enjoy some of that Florida sun for me, alright?”
She hugs me before giving me a gentle nudge toward the door. “You know I will. I’ll send you pics.”
“You better.”
I grab my bag and coat before I’m out the door and trekking back home. A light dusting of snow coats the ground, but it’s been fairly mild so far this winter. But I know better than to speak that out loud, because the moment I would, we’d get a dumping.
The apartment smells amazing when I step inside and find Grace in the kitchen making stir fry veggies and chicken.
“Got enough for me?” I ask, and she jumps, clutching her chest as she turns around.
“Oh my god, you scared me!” She grabs her phone to turn down the music on her speaker. “What are you doing home early?”
“Krista let me go.” I close my eyes and take a deep inhale. “That smells so good, I’m starving.”
Grace grabs a second plate out of the cupboard, her red hair swishing behind her. “I guess I can split it with you.”
“How gracious,” I mock and slide onto one of our barstools. Our apartment is small, but we’ve maximized the most of the space by using part of the island for a bar rather than cramming in a dining table in the living room. “How’d your last final go?”
“Psh, easy peasy,” Grace says. “College is a lot more fun when you get all the Gen Eds out of the way.”
I laugh and retrieve my water bottle from my backpack. “Seriously. I knew you’d do better this year.” Grace struggled academically through her first two years, almost getting benched last season, but she just needed to be in classes that she enjoys.
“No more tutoring from you required.” She winks at me and plates up the food before taking a seat across from me.
We both dig in and eat in silence for a few minutes before she asks, “How was watching film with Coach Holloway? He sing your praises the entire time? First shoutout of the season, girl!”
I smile gratefully at her enthusiasm, but it’s slightly forced at the mention ofhim. “The day that he sings anyone’s praises is the day hell freezes over.”
Grace chuckles. “I don’t know, he’s definitely warmed up. Especially with you. He actually seems like he gives a shit now.”
“Or maybe Coach Maver told him to shape up or ship out.”
She points her fork at me. “True.”
I don’t actually think Coach Maver has ever given him some sort of talking to, but the less Grace or anyone else for thatmatter thinks that hiswarming uphas anything to do with me, the better.
“Now, to something more important and because I feel like we’re never even home at the same time so I haven’t gotten the chance to ask you,” she says, “what happened with Mason? That seemed sudden.”
I frown. “Did it? I’ve barely seen him the past few months.”
