Page 5

“Yes, so glad you noticed,” he replied, flicking his hair slightly, his mouth still pressed into that casual grin.

Kevin always kept his hair long, his honey-brown locks hanging just below his shoulders. He’d had it that way since moving to Haverport from Vermont their sophomore year. But now his hair was shorter, his waves hanging to his chin, the pieces at the front layered to round out his face. His tattoo was much more noticeable now without his hair in the way, the black ink snaking up the side of his left shoulder and around the back of his neck.

A car horn flared behind her. She jumped, quickly pulling off the road. Kevin kept grinning as he leaned down onto her open window, transferring his groceries into one hand.

She furrowed her brow. Kevin was far off from the bike shop down on Main Street, and it wasn’t like the market was walkable. She glanced around, realizing they were at the bus station.

“Are you waiting for the bus?” Jess asked.

“Hey, I’m sensing some judgment with that tone,” he said, wagging a finger at her. “Not all of us have the means to drive ourselves to the grocery store.”

She frowned. “I thought you had a car.”

“Had,” he emphasized. “Past tense. The beauty is no longer.”

“That piece of crap finally met its end?”

“Nope, I sold it,” he answered. “Gave me enough to afford the next few months.”

She frowned again, glancing away from him and out over her steering wheel. She knew things at Port Wheels were bad; that winter, Calvin had mentioned that if Kevin didn’t start bringing in more business, doors would be closed by the end of the summer. But she had no idea it was sell-your-car bad.

She sighed, turning toward him. “Need a ride back to town?”

“Oh my god, ride in the Jess-mobile?” he said. He opened the back door and tossed his bags on the seat without hesitating. “Sign me up.”

Jess shook her head as Kevin climbed into the front, sitting at an angle so he could close the passenger door.

“You can move the seat back, you know,” she said.

“Oh, okay, wasn’t sure if you wanted me to sit here in this little clown seat,” he quipped, sliding the chair back with a thud to make room for his long legs.

She rolled her eyes and turned on the ignition. Music blasted through the speakers again. Her face flushed as she quickly turned off the stereo.

Kevin laughed. “Jessica, what was that?”

“Nothing,” she grumbled, pulling back onto the road.

“Obviously not nothing,” Kevin said, reaching for her stereo. “That was some serious—”

She swatted his hand away. “Don’t.”

“Oh come on,” he pleaded. “What was that band? You’re gatekeeping.”

Jess scowled at him. “I am not gatekeeping. You’ve just never heard of them.”

“That’s literally what a gatekeeper would say.” He chuckled. “Come on, tell me.” He reached out and poked her shoulder and she couldn’t help it, she swatted his hand away again.

“It’s—Ugh. It’s a band, out of Chicago,” she answered slowly. “They’re small, indie.”

“An indie pop punk band out of Chicago?” he replied as they stopped at a red light. Jess glanced over at him, noticing the way he was still grinning to himself, his eyes peering out the passenger window. “I always thought you were a Taylor Swift girl.”

Jess unlocked the doors. “Get out.”

Kevin burst out laughing. “You’re right, how rude of me,” he said. “Now put the music back on before I start singing to you to pass the time.”

“It’s literally a five-minute drive. Can you really not sit in silence for five minutes?”

He scoffed. “My dear Jessica, do you even know me?”