“Well,hey there, honey. This is a nice surprise, seeing you twice in oneday.”
“If youthinkthat’sanice surprise…” I motion toward the other side of the booth, whereWesley is tucked back in the seat, out of her line ofsight.
Bea’s eyes gocomically wide when they land on Wesley. “Boy, you’d better get outhere and give me a hug!”
Wesley slides fromthe booth and wraps Bea in a tight embrace. I’m sure he comes herewhenever he’s in town, so it likely hasn’t been that long sincethese two saw each other, but that’s how Bea has always been withthe five of us. She and her husband Horatio never had kids of theirown, but they treated us like we were part of their family. Overthe years, she’s joked that we’re her little ducklings, sometimesstraying from the flock, but always returning.
Bea pushes Wesleyaway to hold him at arm’s length. As she gives him a head-to-toeperusal, I take the opportunity to do the same now that my shockover seeing him has mostly worn off. His dark-blond hair is longerthan usual, and the slightly windswept look of it suits him. He’srocking a couple days’ worth of pale stubble, making his youthfulface appear more mature. It’s a look I can definitely get behind,especially when paired with a black t-shirt, snug-fitting jeans,and a leather jacket.
Bea releasesWesley and shoos him back into his seat. Her gaze darts between thetwo of us, her eyes shining. “I feel like I just stepped back intime to when the two of you used to come in here when Stella wasoff at her skating lessons.” She lets out a sigh that’s as wistfulas her tone. “You were like peas in a pod, always with your headsbent together, sharing a set of those earbud things. You know Ialways thought you two were together? Or at least that things wereheading that way.”
A stilted laughescapes me. Despite feeling Wesley’s eyes on me and even seeing inmy periphery that his head is turned my way, I keep my gaze on Bea.I’m not sure I want to know what Wesley’s expression is.
“Commonmistake,” he says after several long beats.
“Right,” I say. “We were just friends.”
“Reallygood friends.”
Something in Wes’svoice makes me look at him. He’s smiling softly at me, hisexpression open and full of fondness. It causes a tight pinch in mychest. While I’d go so far as to say he’s gazing at me lovingly,it’s not the type of love I wish he felt.
“Whatcan I get you two?” Bea asks.
“Areyou hungry?” Wesley asks me.
“No, Ihad something to eat at my mom’s not long ago. You go ahead andorder dinner if you’re hungry.”
He shakes his headand turns to Bea. “Will you be mad at us for taking up a booth atdinnertime if we only order hot chocolate?”
“If itwere anyone else…” She shoots him a wink and spins on her heel,calling over her shoulder, “Two hot chocolates, coming rightup.”
“Shehasn’t changed a bit.” Wesley leans his elbows on the table,clasping his hands in front of him and glancing around us. “Andneither has this place.”
“Youknow what Horatio always says—”
“‘If itain’t broke, don’t fix it’,” we say at the same time, then dissolveinto laughter.
Our gazes remainlocked as our amusement fades. I’ve known Wesley my whole life andwe have so much to catch up on, but I have no idea what to say. Thetruth is, I’d be perfectly happy to sit and stare at him all night.I might be reading too much into it, but I don’t think he minds.Dare I say he even has an appreciative, almost hungry glint in hiseyes as they survey my face.
Bea sets ourdrinks on the table, interrupting our impromptu staring contest. Mycup is piled high with mini marshmallows, while Wesley’s has aswirl of whipped cream on top.
“Youremembered,” he says.
“Oh,honey, I remember everything,” Bea says. “Everything.Like the time the two ofyou came in here, ordered a platter of pancakes to share, and thenrealized you didn’t have enough money, so you scrounged up enoughloose change to pay. Or the time—” She doubles over laughing beforeshe can get the words out. The sight makes me giggle along withouteven knowing what memory is playing through her mind.
Shestraightens, wiping her eyes on a napkin she pulls from the pocketof her apron. “Whew, lordy. Or the time you decided to start adog-walking business and your first client dragged Evie throughevery mud puddle in a half-mile radius. Do you remember that?” Thequestion aimed at Wesley, likely because there’s no chanceI’dever forget thatparticular experience.
“Howcould I forget?” Wesley’s voice shakes with suppressed laughter.“It was quite the image.”
Bea’sface softens as she studies Wesley. “But what really stuck with mewas the factyouended that walk by jumping in the biggest puddle you couldfind so Evie wouldn’t be embarrassed to be the only one covered inmud. Why the pair of you decided to comehereinstead of going home to getcleaned up first, I’ll never understand. That image has lived rentfree in my mind for nearly two decades, though, so I guess I shouldbe thanking you.” She pauses, her sharp eyes shifting from Wesleyto me and back again. “You sure you two were never an item? Evensecretly?”
“Reallygood friends,” Wesley repeats. The way his dimple flashes makes mecertain he’s suppressing another laugh.
“If yousay so. Enjoy your hot chocolate, kids. I’ll be backlater.”
As she walks away,I pull my drink toward me and examine the marshmallows as if theyhold the secrets of the universe. A tense silence hangs over thetable now, and I can’t decide whether to address what Bea said ornot. Do I laugh it off and make a comment about her being as muchof a meddler as my mother is? Do I gather up every last ounce ofcourage and attack the subject head on by asking Wesley if he everhad even the tiniest non-friend-like feelings for me? Or do I stickwith self-preservation and attempt to change thesubject?
Growing up, I wasnever uncomfortable around Wesley. All our silences werecompanionable unless we were mad at each other, and even thosetimes were rare and didn’t last long. It wasn’t until I was in myearly teens and my feelings for Wesley started to evolve intosomething new and confusing that I began occasionally feelingawkward and tongue-tied around him. I know he noticed, yet he neversaid anything, which made me love him even more.
