Either way, her book about spending a year doing things that scared her in order to embrace life and lose fear resonated deeply with Sloane.
The bucket list is what initially brought my sister and Ian together. She decided she wanted a fake boyfriend to bring to my wedding to Bradley. And, unbeknownst to me, Sadie also had a mission to lose her V-card.
Yep, in addition to robbing my sister of her dream of going to vet school, our mother’s death and having to come home and raise me also threw a huge wrench in her dating life. So huge that it wasn’t until Ian Barlowe that she popped the old cherry. But it worked out in the end.
In fact, things have worked out for every member of the group who’s taken the challenge. And I’m so grateful they added me to their cool-girl fold when I moved back.
Oh, sure, I have high school friends still in town. In fact, I’m attending the wedding of my former bestie in a couple of weeks. But somehow, I don’t fit with who I used to be.
And I’m not sure of who I want to become.
My phone dings with an incoming text. It’s from Avah.
Avah: We think you’re being held captive.
Avah and I both have strong opinions, and we aren’t afraid to share them. I think we also both use humor and sarcasm asdefense mechanisms, but neither of us is likely to admit that out loud.
Avah: Sloane refuses to begin discussing the book until every one of us is present.
Me: Not sure I’m going to make it. Traffic coming down Floyd Hill. And I didn’t finish the book.
My phone rings a minute later—Avah again.
“It’s not a big deal.”
“Of course not. Also, you’d make a terrible criminal. The window in the bookstore’s meeting room looks out to the parking lot.”
I glance up and see Sadie and Molly waving at me. Avah, cell phone pressed to her ear, gives me the finger.
“Okay, I’m coming,” I tell her with a sigh. Clearly I’m distracted if I didn’t realize they could see me sitting here.
I disconnect and slap a smile on my face as I grab the container of brownies I bought at a bakery on my way out of Vail. These ladies already know about the baby. I called an emergency book club meeting when I couldn’t stop freaking out after I found out.
I still haven’t told any of my high school or college friends, which says something I prefer not to examine about the state of those relationships.
The familiar bookstore smell greets me as the bells above the door chime. It’s a mix of paper, coffee, and whatever candle Sloane has burning today. Lavender, I think.
I wave to the woman at the register and head toward the back, Molly immediately bouncing up to hug me as I enter the meeting room. “You’re here. How was the cabin?”
“Eventful,” I murmur.
Sadie breathes out a soft laugh. “That’s one way to put it.”
I shoot her a look and place the brownies on the table that’s already covered with snacks.
“Tell me these are from Sweet Surrender,” Iris says, immediately reaching for one.
“Only the best for the cool girls.” I manage to hold my smile in place and sink into the empty chair, trying to calm my nerves.
“Now that we’re all here,” Sloane says, settling into her usual spot and pulling out the book we’re supposed to have read, “let’s talk about this month’s selection. Overall impressions?”
“I loved it,” Taylor says. “The way the author wove the true crime elements with the fictional narrative was masterful.”
“I thought the ending was predictable,” Avah counters. “I knew who the killer was by chapter three.”
“Not everyone did,” Molly says mildly. “I was genuinely surprised.”
“That’s because you were too busy hoping the detective and the witness would get together,” Avah points out.
