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Ari said she ran into you today.

At the burger place. Pretty girl. Looks a lot like you.

Was he saying she was pretty, too?

She felt silly for even letting her mind raise the question because it shouldn’t matter to her.

It didn’t matter, she insisted.

The girl’s too smart for her own good, already acts like an adult.

She must have a good relationship with Glenda to want to hang out with her.

Patience plumped up the pillows behind her back. It’s cordial, not the best. I just didn’t know what to say when Glenda wanted to pick Ari up after school today.

She had the nerve to ask you after what happened at the coffee shop?

She didn’t ask me. She texted Ari. But I figured it’d be better not to make waves. I don’t want my daughter to feel any anxiety over the coming changes. And if I know Glenda, she’ll forget about Jack and Ari the moment she moves on to another man, which might be even sooner than I expected, right? ;)

Why are you winking at me? She’s already found someone else?

According to Ari, she was very excited about *you*.

What? No… She gave me her number, but that doesn’t mean I plan to use it.

Immediately feeling much better—for reasons she didn’t care to speculate on—Patience pulled the duvet over her.

You’re not interested?

I don’t know that I’m going to stay in Hard Luck long-term. And I’m not the type to settle down to begin with, which probably doesn’t come as any surprise.

That’s self-aware.

I’d have to be stupid to miss it. I’ve seen far too many dysfunctional relationships in my life—have no confidence I could break the mold.

Maybe we have more in common than I thought. You don’t believe in love?

I believe love hurts. I’m going to stay away from it.

Then we’re both jaded.

Better safe than sorry. Sounds like we’re meant to be friends. We can remind each other if ever we start to drift in the wrong direction.

Deal.

I have some ideas for the festival. Any chance you’d be willing to come over so that I can show them to you? Shouldn’t take long.

Tonight?

Unless it’s past your bedtime.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand. Eight-thirty. That wasn’t late, but she wasn’t used to going out on a weeknight. Since she didn’t date, there was never anything to do. And the prospect of seeing Kanon set off a strange butterfly-like sensation in the pit of her stomach, which didn’t bode well. She hadn’t felt anything like that in ages.

Good thing they’d both just established that they didn’t have any interest in a romantic relationship.

Ari was still in her room with the door shut; her father’s documentary murmured on. She wouldn’t be missed here…

Sure. Do I just come to the motor inn—or what?