Page 26 of How (Not) to Conjure a Boyfriend
“Uh-huh. With Hayden,” she answers.
It must have been a time I wasn’t here, because the first time I saw Holly was at the hospital, and I can’t remember a time when Hayden came to the shop with anyone but some guy friend or his devastatingly handsome brother. Oh! Shit. I didn’t mean it like that. What is going on with me?
“You weren’t here though.” Holly looks at me.
“Makes sense.” I nod and decide to switch to customer service mode. Maybe that’ll expedite this. “Can I get y’all anything? We make a great peanut butter frappe. It’s my favorite.”
“Please, Mom.” Holly’s eyes light up like Christmas.
“Is that what you want, then? You sure?” Mary-Anne asks.
Holly nods, and Mary-Anne looks back at me. Before she can say anything I ring it up.
“And two macchiatos,” she adds.
“Okay.” I put in the other drinks and place the order underMarcus. She pays and I instinctively give her the standard thanks. “Thank you so much. Your items will be ready in a few minutes.”
I try to escape to the bar to make their drinks, but Mary-Anne raises her hand above the counter.
“Kenzie,” she says.
“Yes, ma’am.” I swing around. It’s an impulse at this point. Too many times a customer has done the same to add something to their order or tell us how to make a drink we already know how to make.
“We were wondering if you might come by the house this afternoon. When do you get off?” she asks.
“Two,” I tell her, my voice shadowed in a little more caution than I intended. What is up now?
Did they figure it out?
“That’s perfect.” Mary-Anne grins. Randall’s standing in silence. He’s still the hardest to read. “Hayden and Zachary usually play basketball after church. I thought maybe you’d like to come. It’s just Zachary, and I think he’s a little more down about his brother than he admits.”
Okay, first, why is she telling me all of this about Zachary? Isn’t that a little oversharing? Maybe Zachary doesn’t want people to know that.
“Oh, I’m—” I start to come up with an excuse. It was going to be something about how badly my mother needed me home to take care of the cat we don’t have. But Holly interrupts.
“Please!” Holly smiles big.
“I…uh,” I stumble. Why am I like this? “Sure. Yeah. I can do that.”
10
The clock on the wall hits 1:53. I’ve had almost two hours to regret my decision. Two hours to try to find a way out, to come up with an excuse.
“Please, Kaity,” I beg with my best pity eyes. “All you have to do is agree I was supposed to come to your place. That’s all.”
“I’m not doing that! You already told them you’re coming,” Kaitlynn refuses. “You got into this, you can getyourselfout of it. Why don’t you just say you’re not feeling good?”
“Because…” I stop before sayingthat’s a lie. So is the rest. “Because this is easier.”
“Blaming me is easier?” She scowls.
Okay, yeah. It’s sort of low, but that way I can blame it on someone else, and it won’t just be me bowing out. It’s easier that way.
“Yeah.” I stretch out the word, hoping it’ll smooth it over.
Kaitlynn laughs. “Such a bitch.”
“Hey!” I scoff sarcastically. “I’ll owe you one.”
