“Nope. I’m going to eat this sexy pile of sugar carbs and offer some to you.” It was toughnotsaying what was on my mind, but the topic of conversation wasn’t my choice. If Naomi brought it up, I’d talk with her, but she needed to lead the way.
She snorted, and just like that, she was back. “I’m not a fan of sharing food.”
“Whoa, excuse me.” I feigned shock. “Then we can’t be friends.”
“I bet you eat at buffets too.”
“Are you trying to insult me? Of course I eat at buffets. It’s where I can make some gains. Ten dollars for all you can stuff in your face? Yes, I’m devouring everything in there.”
She picked up a spoon and took a bite of her shake, her gaze sliding toward the entrance for a second before landing on me. “You must think I’m pathetic.”
“Why the fuck would I think that?”
“Because I couldn’t call out what my sister did.” Her cheeks pinkened, and she sucked her bottom lip into her mouth. “This isn’t the first time, either.”
Gut punch. I blew out a long breath and chewed my extra-large bite of pancakes, tapping my fingers on the table. Multiple times? That was so shitty. I swore I saw confusion on Cami’s face, like maybe she had no idea what Gage did, but if this wasn’t the first instance? There was no way. “Okay, question.”
“Answer,” she said, her eyes flashing with humor for a beat.
“Are you not a fan of confrontation? Is it the drama that makes you nervous? What do you have to lose by having a conversation with your sister?”
“That was three questions. You only said question, as in singular.”
“Ah, nice catch, Fletcher. But your wit will not help you avoid my questionssss.” I made the s last really long, getting her to smile a bit.
Score.
“Just thinking about speaking my mind makes me terrified. I was sure I was going to throw up. I could’ve caused a scene with all these people watching me,” she paused, swallowed, and cracked her knuckles. “Plus, what if I’m wrong? What if she likes me even less? Our family is broken, and I just...these excuses sound so lame, don’t they?”
“Don’t downplay your reactions. It’s not helpful at all.” I cut my pancake in half and set the piece on a napkin. “You should take a bite. It’s recommended to help with situations like this.”
She stared at it with an arched brow. “Germs.”
“I’m a healthy, safe guy. Just minor cooties.”
She shook her head and let out something that sounded like a laugh, but it could’ve been a cough. Wasn’t sure. Still, she took a bite of my food and rolled her eyes. “Oh, wow.”
We ate in silence for a few seconds, and I didn’t tell her that Cami and Gage were in an animated discussion across the diner. Didn’t feel right. Once Naomi drank her shake and I devoured every crumb of sweetness on my side, I leaned back into the booth and smiled. “Today was a good one.”
“Uh, maybe for you.”
“No, in general.” I leaned onto my forearms and stared at her soft brown eyes. They weren’t pure dark brown. There were flecks of golden hues, maybe even a little green if the light hit them right. “The days aren’t all good or bad. It’s the little moments that add up. Today was overwhelmingly positive. Besides the thing with your sister, was there more bad or good between you two?”
“Good.”
“Then you can’t let one bad moment determine your whole day.”
Naomi’s gaze softened. “Why are you so good at this?”
“All the counseling,” I said, also thinking about Ryann and how wehadto learn to communicate. Also, my previous coach, the team. “It’s easy to focus on the negative, and it’s human to feel shitty, but it’s a choice to let it dominate your life.”
I stood up, hoping she’d let the conversation go because while I tried to stay positive, the wound about not playing hockey and losing my parents was still fresh. “Come on, Fletcher. I’ll escort you home.”
I held out my arm, and she walked into it. She held her head up high and her button nose stuck in the air. She adjusted her ponytail and kept her face blank as we went to the counter.
“My treat,” I said.
“No, no way,” she said, trying to pull out her card. I swatted it away.
