Page 13 of See It Through
I drove straight toSugar Rush. It wasn’t as packed as it had been in the morning, but there were plenty of people getting their later-in-the-day dose of caffeine and sweets. Phoebe was floating behind the counter, looking pretty and put together even after working ten hours.
The shop closed at five, but Phe had trouble telling people to leave. Since I was here, I had no problem helping her with that.
I needed sister time—without all the nosy ears listening in.
Grabbing an iced coffee from Camille and a pistachio cream donut from Phe, I plopped down in one of the empty armchairs. I hadn’t gotten that dirty or sweaty at work, so I didn’t think my sister would mind me sitting in her nice chairs too much.
The relaxation I needed didn’t happen. As soon as my butt hit the chair, Teller McDonald and her sidekick, Tina Klem, turned around from their table for two to stare at me. They were blatant about it, but I ignored them until I’d taken a long drink of coffee and a hearty bite of my donut, then I raised a brow.
“Did you need something?”
Teller crossed her jean-clad legs and leaned her elbows on her knee. “I heard Remi Town is back. Is it true?”
I nodded. “It is.”
“Is he here to stay?” Tina asked.
I shrugged. “I don’t know his plans.”
“But you’ve talked to him?” Teller pressed.
“Sure,” I replied.
Anyone else, I might’ve given them more, but Teller and Tina had been mean girls since elementary school, and at almost thirty, neither had grown out of it. They both lived by the motto “the bigger the hair, the closer to God,” but there wasn’t anything heavenly about the duo. Their fluffy blonde curls were all right, and I didn’t have a problem with their bedazzled jeans or heavy makeup. It was their above-it-all attitudes. Like we all hadn’t grown up in the same small town. Like any of us had forgotten Teller wiping her boogers on every hard surface all the way through middle school or Tina making out with everyone’s boyfriends in high school. Gossip spread like wildfire in Sugar Brush. If these two hadn’t caused the spark, they were fanning the flames.
“Well?” Teller’s eyebrows raised, yet her forehead didn’t move. “What did he say for himself?”
“Not much.” I sipped my coffee.
“Do you think he’s up for company?” Tina scrunched her nose at the massive bite of donut I took. “I could bake some muffins to welcome him home.”
Teller rolled her eyes. “Please. We don’t want to give the man food poisoning. I’llbuyhim some muffins from Phoebe.”
“You can’t welcome him without me,” Tina blurted.
Teller cocked her head. “Were you planning to invite me along to deliver your atrocious cooking?”
Tina hmphed indignantly. “Of course. I would never go without you, Teller.”
If Teller ever found out Tina used to regularly have sex with Teller’s then-boyfriend, now-husband, Brady, back in high school, all hell would rain down on Sugar Brush. It had sort of been an open secret amongst our classmates and a wonder Teller had never caught wind. If there was any funny business still going on, I was not privy to it, but I wouldn’t doubt it.
“He’d probably love a visit,” I said, thinking how much Remi would trulyenjoythese two.
Tina clapped her hands beneath her chin in excitement. “Oh, great. I was worried you’d try to keep us away from him.”
Teller tapped her long fingernails on Tina’s knuckles. “I had no doubt Hannah would see the good in our neighborly intentions. I’m sure Remi would love to catch up with us.” She poked her bottom lip out, and her eyes melted with faux sincerity. “Just like I’m sure he’s got the blues since he lost his father.”
“Oh, yeah.” Tina tossed her hair behind her shoulder. “We can cheer him up for sure.”
My smile was as real as it got. I only wished I could be a fly on the wall when they went knocking on Remi’s door.
“I would write him a nice condolence card too.” I brought my coffee to my lips, considering what other mischief I could layer on. “Plus, he seems really lonely after all that time on the road. I’m sure he’d love for you to stay and share everything he’s missed over the years—in full detail. And I remember Graham mentioning he adores listening to poetry. If you know any—”
Tina perked up. “I can take care of that.”
Teller shot her a sharp look. “You’ve never read poetry in your life.”
Tina wasn’t deterred. “I have, and anyway, I know how to Google. I’ll find the perfect poem to read to him.”