“He’s a man,” Ridhi says. “Hedidn’t know, and who can blame her for not wanting to wait any longer for him to figure it out?”
“So she loves him too?”
“Somuch,” Bridget says.
Ridhi snorts softly. “Yes, nothing saysI love youlike marrying someone else without fighting for the one you fell in love with in the first place.”
“You can’t really blame her, given how he was in high school,” Anya says.
Both RidhiandBridget shush her.
There’s something to unpack there, but I want good coffee, and I’d rather let Dylan tell me his story at his own pace, so I don’t press. “She seemed nice.”
“You’re seriously calling the competitionnice?” Bridget asks.
“It’s not a competition, Bridge,” Ridhi says. “Love’s love. Not a game.”
“So, like, he could have a harem?”
Ridhi and Anya make matching noises of horror, but I love the way Bridget’s eyes light up when she’s pushing the limits of what the adults in her life will tolerate.
She’s fifteen.
Both light-years and also a blink of an eye away from being an adult herself.
Also? Phoebe’s basically in line to become her other stepmom, and the idea of Phoebe having to learn to handle a teenager is chef’s kiss. And yes, I can like my sister betterand alsogive in to a cackle or two of glee at the idea of Bridget giving her occasional heartburn. I’m allowed to be complicated like that.
“Could I please have one of your absolutely to-die-for vegan caramel macchiatos?” I ask Anya with the friendliest smile I can find. “I forgot my oat milk, but I have my special cinnamon.”
She and Ridhi share a glance. “Are you helping Dylan get over Hannah?”
“I’m trying to be friends with more people here. Jet lag wassobad when I first arrived, and then Gigi put us all straight to work, and it was so overwhelming to be living in a high school that needed so much work, and also, like,wow, where did all the time to make friends go? So now that we’re more settled, I’m trying to be more present for everyone. Like, I totally sat down with Dante and Imani the other day and talked with them all about their plans for reopening the inn once tourism is a little more up, and Akiko and I had coffee so she could tell me all about the best parts of the high school that we should restore once Gigi realizes no one will want to go see an old high school converted into a museum about her, but they’lltotallywant to see an old high school that has, like, nostalgia for a time gone by andlifeandstories.”
And there’s another shared glance.
I don’t think this one means,You’ve earned the good coffee that we give to your sister.
I think this one means,She’s such a fake.
Ridhi stares at me longer than the other two. “You owe me a favor,” she finally says.
Oh,hell.
I think I’m actually nervous.
“She does?” Anya asks.
“Why?” Bridget wants to know.
I flap my hands. “Oh, we don’t need to—”
“You owe me a favor,” she repeats. “And I’m cashing in.”
Chapter 15
Dylan
I’m digging into a burger at Ladyfingers, more anxious than I’ve been in a long time, fully expecting to be stood up for this lunch, when Tavi hustles in the door fifteen minutes late.
