Mom doesn’t respond right away; instead she turns to glance at the blue soccer uniform hanging on my wall—the one from my JV year when we were undefeated. That was the year I really started believing I had a shot at getting a scholarship.
“So… when’s the next trip?” she finally asks.
“In two weeks.” I already received an email from the lawyer. Saw it on my phone as soon as we got off the plane.
Mom rises to her feet, and my bed creaks in response. She walks to the doorway but then turns and pauses. “At least you and K. J. will get a break from each other. And just think, after these last two trips and the rodeo, you don’t ever have to speak to each other again.”
While this is true, it doesn’t give me any comfort. “I’d rather pull out every hair on my head than ride in the car with K. J. all the way to Florida.”
“I’m sorry,” Mom says before leaving my room. For some reason, I don’t believe she really is, though. She’s probably just happy she’s not having to do all this crap with her sister in order to get Grandpa’s money.
Since we will all be heading to separate colleges in the fall, Lexi, Maddie, and I have agreed on a new summer tradition: meeting for coffee a few times each month. Today, Lexi rode with me, and we’re the first to arrive at Pour Jons, so we grab a table and gab while Eric Clapton croons in the background. I continue to fill her in on the Yellowstone trip—the parts I haven’t already texted her about anyway—and describe Johan in detail. I leave out most of K. J.’s antics since I’m tired of wasting my breath on her anyway.
“He sounds gorgeous,” Lexi says with a widening smile. “And Swedish? Oh my god, yum.”
I can still picture the glint in Johan’s baby blue eyes. Yum is exactly right.
“Hey ladies!” Maddie calls, making her way toward our table. Lexi and I both wave excitedly. She pauses upon reaching us. “Coffee is on me today. Whatcha want?”
We thank her and place our orders: a latte for me and white chocolate mocha for Lexi. When Maddie returns with our drinks, Lexi leans toward her, bringing a hand beside her mouth like she’s about to divulge some big secret. “Becka found herself a Swedish hottie on her trip. His name is Johan.” She draws out his name, emphasizing the “h” sound.
Maddie’s eyes go wide as she homes in on me. “Ooh la la. Did you get his number?”
I offer a coy smile. “Maybe…”
“What?” Lexi shrieks. “You didn’t tell me that. Have you texted him?”
“Not yet,” I admit.
“Holy crap!” Lexi says. “I better hear all about it when you do.”
“We both better hear about it,” Maddie corrects.
“Anyway,” I say, ready to take the focus off of myself and something that may or may not happen. “Tell me what you two have been up to since graduation. I feel like we haven’t talked in forever.”
That’s all the invitation they need. Maddie fills us in on her new summer job—working at her uncle’s insurance firm as well as helping to coach the kids’ soccer program at the YMCA. It’s the same program I helped with last summer and would have considered again if it weren’t for my stupid trips. Then Lexi regales us with tales from church camp, where she worked as a counselor last week. She’ll be going back for another round in July.
I’m nearly finished with my latte when the door chimes and in walks none other than K. J. My stomach seizes and I almost spit out a mouthful of my drink. What are the freaking chances? She approaches the front counter, and I slink down in my chair, praying she doesn’t notice me over here. But this place isn’t all that big, so after she’s finished ordering and steps back to wait, her eyes roam the room and, bingo, land right on me.
Lexi and Maddie are still talking, and I’m unsure of whether I should acknowledge K. J. in some manner or not. I’m afraid she’ll come over here if I don’t, so with a grimace, I lift my hand in a wave. She waves back, unsmiling, but I still don’t trust her. For all I know, she might try to come sit with us here in a minute. My brain kicks into overdrive, trying to come up with some way to avoid her.
“Who you waving at?” Maddie asks, turning to look toward the counter.
“Oh, no one. Hey, you guys wanna go sit outside? It’s so nice out this morning.” It’s not exactly the best escape plan, but the only one I can think of at the moment.
“Um, sure,” Lexi says, her brows pushing together a little.
My friends follow my lead as I stand and head toward the front door. K. J. doesn’t say a word as we pass by, thank goodness. Outside, I wander toward the backside of the building and find an open area on the wood bench that surrounds the perimeter. Hopefully, K. J. won’t see us here and will just think we’ve left.
“It is nice out,” Lexi says. “Good idea.”
“Yeah,” is all I can say.
Then K. J. rounds the building, a coffee in each hand, because of course she would come this way. I immediately pretend to be interested in the building across the street, but she saunters straight over to the three of us.
“Hi, Becka!” she says, her voice full of false excitement. “Fancy seeing you here.”
Lexi and Maddie look up at her, confusion evident on their faces. They’re probably trying—and no doubt failing—to place her. When I don’t respond, K. J. proceeds to introduce herself to my friends.
“Nice to meet you,” Lexi says, always the polite one. Maddie just stares at K. J., incredulous.
“I’m sure Becka’s told you all about me,” K. J. continues. “Since we’ve been spending so much time together lately.”
“Not really,” I lie.
K.
