Page 115 of Business Casual
Stella appears without warning in front of me, practically tackling me to the ground with her arms around my neck. She hugs me so tight she cuts off my air supply, Luka huffing and puffing as he comes jogging up behind her.
“Hey,” he says, winded. Stella does not let go. “I tried to slow her down but she was determined to find you.”
I pat between her shoulder blades and shoot a bewildered glance at Nova. Nova who is no longer standing in the alley but beelining her way toward the pumpkin patch. The little coward.
“That was the best honeymoon of my entire life,” Stella says somewhere in the front of my sweater. I pat her head while simultaneously trying to push her away. “I had to tell you right away.”
“You mean the honeymoon you’re still supposed to be on?”
She finally releases me, swiping her fingers under her eyes. I suck in a much needed breath, spots at the edge of my vision.
“We had to come back early.”
“Why?” I glance at Luka over her shoulder for an explanation, but he just shrugs. “Is everything okay?”
Stella gives me a watery smile. “I couldn’t miss the harvest festival, could I?” She could have, but that’s fine. Cindy’s chili is good, but it’s not better than the kind of pasta they make in Florence. Stella looks over my shoulder at the alley I just popped out of and frowns. “What were you doing down there anyway? Did I see you with Nova Porter?”
I put both of my hands on her shoulders and steer her toward the cider stand. In the opposite direction of where Nova went. “I was helping her find an earring.”
“In the alley?”
“Yep.”
“Does she wear earrings?”
I have to think about that for a second. I’m not even sure her ears are pierced.
I sigh. “It’s really great to have you back, Stella.”
25
CHARLIE
I sit inthe chair on the opposite side of Stella’s desk, my ankle resting on my knee and an entire box of cinnamon apple streusel cupcakes on my lap. Caleb brought them to me as a mood booster, though I’m not exactly sure why my mood needs boosting. I’ve been extremely pleasant to everyone this morning, starting with Nova when I woke her up with my head between her legs. I snuck over to her place after spending the rest of the festival with Stella and Luka, doing my best to seem happy that they came back early from their trip instead of slightly murderous and largely agitated.
I wanted more time.
I thought I had more time.
I shove another cupcake in my mouth and try not to feel salty about it.
Maybe I do need mood boosting.
Stella holds her hands out above her desk, hovering but not touching anything. “I’m afraid to move.”
“Why?”
“I don’t think it’s ever been so organized.”
“Not even when you bought the place?”
She shakes her head. “Luka almost wept when he dropped me off this morning.”
I let some of the tension slip from my spine. It is nice to have herback. Luka too. I missed them both, even if I happily filled the space they left behind. It’s not their fault I got used to sitting in the chair behind her desk, sipping my coffee from a mug shaped like a nutcracker. These things have always belonged to Stella. I knew that when I came here, and I knew that this morning when I woke up with Nova’s legs tangled with mine. I’ve just been borrowing them.
Stella picks up a piece of paper and frowns at it. Shit. I was hoping she’d see that when I was gone and not sitting right in front of her, but I can’t exactly reach across and rip it out of her hands. “What’s this?” she asks.
“It looks like a piece of paper.”
