CHAPTER 3
Beep,beep,beep.
I jerked awake and fumbled to hit thestopbutton on my alarm. With eyes still bleary from sleep, I checked the time and groaned. I only had an hour to get ready before meeting my parents and brother at Bobbi's Cafe. Yawning widely, I stretched my long legs before sighing and sinking back onto the comfortable mattress.
I was exhausted. My bones felt weak and there was a little man playing tiny drums on my temples. Not surprising, given the fact that Amelia and I had stayed up until midnight. After all, we had a lot to catch up on. Me more than her, apparently.
Yesterday had emotionally drained me. I was still wrapping my head around the fact that the person I despised the most had somehow duped my two best friends into thinking he was now one of the good guys. I wanted to question Amelia more—mainly by asking:How the fuck did this even happen, and how fucking dare you betray me—but I didn't want to ruin our first night together after going so long without seeing each other. So, I sucked it up and drank my emotions like a true adult.
We had gone through two and a half bottles of wine last night. It would've been three if Liam hadn't cut us off, gently reminding Amelia of their appointment at their wedding venue at 9 am. We had jeered at him good-naturedly, calling him a spoilsport, but it was probably just as well that he was the sensible one in our group.
I was staying at Amelia and Liam's since it was easier to get together to plan the final details of the wedding, bridal shower, bachelorette—yes, she was having both—rehearsal dinner and everything that came in between. I had never been a bridesmaid before, let alone the Head Bitch, so I was planning on making myself as available and accommodating as possible to the frazzled bride-to-be.
As I snuggled further into the blankets, I realized this was the first time in a long time that I'd had an actual break. I had jumped straight into my coursework at Berkeley. Just because I had excellent grades in high school didn't mean I had to remain complacent. College work was at a whole other level. It was challenging, frustrating, and tiring.
And I loved it.
I thrived on the adrenaline and challenge of studying something that I was so passionate about. If something didn't click with me or I didn't understand a particular concept, I worked until I could comprehend it and was versed enough to teach it.
I had also worked part-time at a coffee shop since I only had a partial scholarship, and my parents also helped subsidize some of my schooling costs. Once they discovered how intelligent their young daughter was, they wasted no time saving up for what they knew would be a very pricey education.
In my junior year, I scored a coveted research position for my chemistry professor. With Professor Hannover's stellar reputation and recommendation, I moved seamlessly into a junior research position at an up-and-coming biotechnology company that was already making waves in the pharmaceutical world.
Going from high school to college to full-time work had caused me to burn out a little, so when I received the ear-piercing phone call from Amelia that they had"fucking finally set a date,"I immediately put my vacation leave in. My bosses were so thrilled with my work and relieved that I was finally using my vacation leave that they had no hesitation in approving my six weeks off.
I rechecked my phone and leaped out of bed. I had already wasted nearly half an hour daydreaming. Luckily, like most small towns, Bobbi's Cafe was only a short walk away.
After a quick shower, I ran my fingers through my long dark hair. It was definitely time for a trim. I usually kept it shoulder length since I worked primarily in the lab and didn't need my hair falling into my face constantly during the day.
Nude, I stood before the mirror and applied an SPF-tinted moisturizer. Since it would be hot out, I didn't want to bother with make-up that would be sweated off in an hour.
Standing back, I surveyed myself with a critical eye. I had grown out my bangs years ago, no longer needing the shield they used to provide me. My adolescent awkward stage was a thing of the past.
With my mom's high cheekbones and my dad's straight nose and bright blue eyes, my features were a feminine blend of the two. No one could pinpoint who exactly I took after. My eyes roamed down the rest of my body as my hands smoothed over my almost flat stomach—I had a little pooch that I tended to frown over whenever I wore a tight-fitted dress. My hips were slightly curvy, and I was proud of my strong, toned arms and legs—courtesy of Pilates. My boobs were decent-sized; I never received any complaints in that department.
I rechecked the time and gave a small yelp. Chastising myself for being vain, I quickly pulled on a pair of denim shorts that showed off my toned legs and a plain white T-shirt. After a quick spritz of my favorite body mist and a swipe of lip gloss, I felt like a new woman—even the man playing drums in my head had changed his instrument to a smaller percussion.
Slipping my feet into a pair of strappy black sandals that were dressy but casual, I slid my phone into the back pocket of my shorts. I didn't need a bag just for a quick bite with my family. After grabbing the spare key from the hallway table I quickly locked up and walked the short distance to Bobbi's.
As predicted, it was a stifling hot day. Since Amelia was a second-grade teacher, they had chosen to have their wedding in June to line up with the summer break. Right bam smack in the middle of a heat wave. I was already starting to sweat a bit, but luckily, the walk to the town center was lined with Dogwood trees, which I purposely walked near for their cool shade.
Bobbi's was more of a diner than a cafe, but Bobbi Zhou, the longtime owner, thought "cafe" sounded classier than "diner." I didn't have an opinion either way. I just knew I craved Bobbi's Big Breakfast special, served all day—sausages, bacon, eggs, tomato, mushrooms, hash browns, and toast. With an iced tea to go with it, of course. My mouth salivated just thinking about it, and my fading hangover rejoiced at the chance for a greasy soak.
As I neared the red-bricked cafe, I looked around the familiar surroundings. As much as I disliked the place, I had to admit that it was one of the prettiest towns I had ever encountered—and I'd come across a lot during my road trips.
Old-fashioned lamps lined the streets, and fairy lights zig-zagged across the roads. The town committee had put them up one Christmas when I was twelve, and the out-of-towners commented on it so much that they decided to keep them up. They lit Main Street at night and were mighty pretty.
Flower pots and plants also lined the sidewalks; I had never seen them look dull or lifeless. The various shops and eateries always looked freshly painted, their signs bright, big, and welcoming.
I felt a pang of town pride that I grew up in such a picturesque place. It was a pity that some townsfolk brought down the star rating.
I opened the door to Bobbi's, smiling as the little bell rang. I sighed in appreciation at the blast of cool air and quickly scanned the space for a spare booth. My parents had already texted that they were running a few minutes late.
After spotting an empty booth at the far corner, I made my way down the aisle, my thoughts preoccupied with whether I would order scrambled or poached eggs with my meal.
Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a familiar dark head poke up and stare at me as I passed their table.
No, no, no.
