“Do you need help?” she asks, all bright and cheery.
“Nah. I got it.”
She’s busy with her own projects and I don’t want her to work out in the blistering sun with thorns all day. If she got torn up, I’d likely set all the bushes on fire and then where would I be?
Unemployed, probably.
“So, what did you need to talk about?” The faster I know why she texted me to stop by, the faster I can get back to work.
“It’s nothing. Seriously. I feel bad that you came.” Taylor stares at the buckets and laughs. “Actually, it’s pretty funny this happened. I swearsometimes you’re psychic, bro.”
Bro.
Fucking hell, when does being friend-zoned stop feeling like the worst form of torture?
I’mbroto her now. Guess it could be worse. I could be nothing to her.
You know what? Bro’s good. Bro’s great. I love being bro.
“Why am I psychic this time?” I ask, digging for a compliment.
“I just got so big mad with Austin because he said he didn’t want me plucking the dandelions at the station.”
My fists clench. “What reason did he give?”
“That he didn’t want me doing it. That’s all. Like it’s so embarrassing for him or something.” She tosses her hands in the air. “I wasn’t askinghimto do it.Iwanted to do it. They never take care of that lawn, and it’s filled with these golden babies. But he said no.”
“Maybe he said no because he was going to do it himself.”
She glowers at me like I just said the dumbest thing ever. And she’s right. I did. We both know Austin wouldn’t be caught dead on his hands and knees picking dandelions in front of his coworkers. He already gives Taylor a hard time about owning a “woo-woo shop” and once asked why she doesn’t have an actual job in town that would make her more money.
I might have had something to say to him about that.
Might have accidentally on purpose sprayed fertilizer under his bedroom windows one night for it, too.
Heand I don’t really get along. It’s not for lack of trying. I mean, hey, I do my best to be nice to all the dipshits Taylor dates. It’s common courtesy since she’s always been sweet to my girlfriends too. But Austin? That motherfucker gets under my skin.
No man should question why his girl doesn’t make more money. It’s his job to provide. It’s his honor to work hard so she doesn’t have to. Austin doesn’t get the life rule Taylor and I both live by: Do what you love, and you’ll never work a day in your life.
He doesn’t understand her. They fight all the time. He doesn’t appreciate her.
He sure as shit doesn’t deserve her.
“So yeah,” Taylor says, snapping me out of my thoughts. “I guess you picked up on my energy and knew I needed these.”
Taylor’s bright smile makes my chest swell. I love it when she’s happy.
“Cool. Well, I gotta get back to work. Can’t piss off the boss man.”
She grabs the buckets to carry into the back. “You could never piss my dad off, Conner. He loves you to pieces.”
“Well, he won’t love me when I tell him I’ve gotten behind on my schedule.” I need to leave but can’t seem to summon the strength. It feels so nice in her shop. And she smells so damn good. Looks amazing in her sundress too. “Hey, you got any of those moon pickles left?”
“Let me see.” She carries the buckets away and comes back a minute later with a jar that has three pickles floating in it. “You’re in luck.”
Yes. I. Am.
Now before you get carried away with questions, moon pickles are just regular pickles my girl leaves out in the middle of the night to soak up moon energy. Do I believe they have magical powers? No. Do they still taste good and load up my sodium intake after being dehydrated from working in the heat all day? Yes.
