“Cora?”
“The very one, sugar. Have I aged that much?”
“That’s a trick question.”
Laughing, she pulled the pencil from behind her ear and tapped her pad. “So, what can I get you guys?”
She went around the table, taking all our orders, but when she got to me, I still hadn’t decided. I doubted they had egg white omelets or avocado toast. I wasn’t in New York anymore.
“Surprise me.”
“Honey, you’re gonna wish you hadn’t said that.”
With another wink, she was off to the kitchen, and everyone was still staring at me.
“Don’t they have anything better to do?” I grumbled.
“Not really. You should have come into town on a weekday. Then they’d have to leave,” Liam scowled, glaring at all of them. “Hey! It’s not a fucking exhibition!”
Some of them turned around, but most of them continued to discreetly look at our table. It was the most uncomfortable feeling in the world. I didn’t remember the town being quite so nosy in my youth.
“I’m never coming here again,” I muttered.
“You say that now, but eventually, when you’re hungry enough, you’ll come back,” Michael chuckled, taking a sip of his coffee.
That’s what he thought. My first stop when I got out of here was the grocery store. To hell with this. The last thing I needed right now was the whole fucking town trying to pry the past ten years out of me.
I’d starve first.
5
ELLIE
Standing in onlymy towel in front of my full-length mirror, I worked up the courage to look at myself completely naked.
Dropping it to the floor, every flaw and imperfection stared right back at me. My hips were wider than I’d like. My stomach was just a little too paunchy. And my thighs…still just as thick as they were growing up.
I tried to eat right. I exercised every morning, and nothing really ever took the thickness out of my body. I wasn’t really fat, but I definitely wasn’t a size six like I’d always wanted to be.
The only feature I could say I really had going for me was my boobs. Every man liked big boobs, and I had those in spades. Not that I liked them. I’d prefer something smaller so I didn’t feel like I was carrying around boulders on my chest twenty-four seven.
No matter how many times I told myself that looks didn’t matter, I couldn’t help but compare myself to my friends. Josie was skinny and beautiful, full of life and energy. Caroline, the beautiful nurse who was so freaking smart and made scrubs look like a fashion accessory. And then there was Delaney. She was my nerdy friend, and she made it look good.
And then there was me. Yes, I had nice blonde hair. My face was decent, if not a little pudgy, and I knew how to dress to flatter my figure. But I could see underneath all of that. And I didn’t like any of it.
“This is ridiculous,” I muttered, grabbing underwear and a bra from my top drawer.
No matter how many times I looked at myself in the mirror and tried to tell myself I was beautiful, all I saw were the flaws. It was no wonder a man like Liam didn’t want me. Bailey was ten times as beautiful as me, and she always had been.
After tossing on some lounge clothes, I grabbed my laptop and headed out to my living room, snuggling under a blanket on my cozy couch. Yes, it was warm outside, but I never felt right unless I was snuggled under a blanket.
I scrolled through social media, checked my email, and then spent the better part of an hour watching funny cat videos for pure entertainment. I could have gotten some actual work done for my shop, but it was Sunday, and I didn’t feel like spending my whole weekend working.
When the doorbell rang, I glanced at the clock, smirking as I got up to answer. There was only one person it could be on a Sunday morning at this hour. Swinging the door open, I took the coffee out of Delaney’s hand, stepping out of the way for her to come in.
“Thanks,” I said, taking a sip of the delicious brew.
“God, it’s cold outside this morning,” she said, hurrying past me.
