“I don’t like chocolate.”
“We also have”—I threw a quick glance at the board on the wall—“sweet cream vanilla, Michigan maple sugar, or peanut butter.”
The woman frowned. “I guess I could try the vanilla.”
“Coming right up,” Zoe said. “And for you, sir?”
Joe and Hailey had moved down the counter, continuing their argument in quiet tones.
“…not like you’re missing out on the entire summer,” I heard Joe say. “All your friends are working, too.”
“I don’t have any friends.”
“What about Liv?”
“She called me a space cadet!”
“Well.” Joe took off his cap. Ran a hand through his hair. “Maybe you’ll make new friends working here.”
Hailey rolled her eyes. “Great. Maybe after work, I can hang out and play pickleball with the other old people.”
“You’ll have to teach me,” I said.
They turned to me with identicalwhy-are-you-talking?expressions.
I shrugged. “I’ve never played.”
“Since when do you work here?” Hailey asked.
I touched a finger to the visor of mymaddie’s candiescap. “Started this morning. Actually, I started the summer I turned fourteen. My mother is a firm believer in child labor.”
“Less talking, more doing, Annie.”
“Yes, Miss Hannigan,” I singsonged in my best Orphan Annie voice. “I love you, Miss Hannigan.”
My mother’s lips twitched. Hailey smiled. Or almost smiled, anyway.
Joe met my gaze with what could have been gratitude. “We good here now?”
“Unless you’re going to pay for that coffee,” I said.
“It’s on the house,” my mother said. “Anne, that kettle won’t wash itself.”
Joe tugged gently on his sister’s ponytail. “See you after work, kid.”
She rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”
He gave her a quick sideways hug, pressing a kiss to her hair.Catch and release.The sweetness of the gesture tugged at my chest. Who knew the jerk had a tender side?
He glanced up and caught me staring. His eyebrow rose. “Anne.”
I flushed. “Joe.”
Back to one-word greetings again. But this time felt different. His bearded lips parted almost as if he wanted to add something. Say…something. And then he left.
—
“Joe said youwere a teacher,” Hailey said later as we stood at the triple sink.
