Page 66 of Recipe for Rivals

Hey there, Rival

Dusty

Why do I have a feeling you’re about to ask me for something? I don’t know how to say this, but you can’t have my cat

I laughed despite myself and wiped my eyes again.

Nova

Your instincts aren’t too off, but I’m not a cat person

Dusty

Wow. How disappointing. I was hoping we could be friends

Nova

It’s been a good run

Dusty

Nice to know you

I took a steadying breath.

Nova

Are you busy?

Dusty

Just about to leave Beeler. What’s up? Want me to show you what lasagna’s really supposed to taste like?

Nova

I thought you said mine was the best you’d ever had

Dusty

It was. I was just trying to get you to make it again

I laughed again, the sound watery. It was a good thing he wasn’t here to witness the mess on my face.

My phone started buzzing and I stared at it, sucking in a slightly panicked breath between my teeth. Dusty was calling. I cleared my throat and hummed a little to make sure it sounded mostly normal, then swiped to answer. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he said, sounding a little distanced from the phone. “I’m driving now, so I thought this was safer. Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, we’re fine. I have this bunk bed to put together, but I’ve reached a point where I need a second person to hold things in place and I…” Drawing in a shaky breath, I fought the emotion clouding my throat. “I was hoping you had five minutes to come hold it for me.” My voice went too high while I was trying to cover my sudden bout of fresh tears. This was stupid. I shouldn’t be crying over this, and Ireallyhoped he couldn’t tell.

He was silent for a moment. “What’s going on, Nova?” he asked, his voice low and steady.

Great, so hecouldtotally tell.

“It’s really just this stupid bed. It doesn’t have to be done right now. But sometime when you have a minute?—”

“Give me twenty minutes, and I’ll be there.”

“I thought you just left Beeler,” I said, remembering it had taken more than twenty minutes to get there last time.