Page 23 of Love and Other Chances

I arrive at church a couple of minutes late and slip into a seat next to Sarah and Catherine. It’s been fun sitting with different people each week, especially when I’m running late and don’t want to walk all the way up to the front where Joy and Caleb typically sit.

A minute after I’ve gotten settled, Brooks slips into the row in front of us and sits next to Will.

Fantastic.

I do my best to stay focused on the worship songs and the sermon, but I’m only halfway successful. As soon as the service ends, Will and Brooks turn around to talk to us. We’re casually chatting about life when Brooks throws out an idea.

“I saw an advertisement that the pumpkin patch is doing spooky corn mazes every Saturday night in October,” he says. “Our group should go together sometime.”

“That’s a great idea!” Catherine pipes up. “Can we go this Saturday? I’ll be out of town the next weekend, and Joy is hosting that game night for our group the third Friday of October.”

Will and Sarah murmur agreement, and Brooks looks to me. “Yes, totally!” I chirp. “That will be totally fun.”It will be totally fun, minus the bonus torture time with Brooks.“You should send that over the group chat,” I add.

We all mingle a while longer in the church lobby before parting ways. Of course, Brooks falls into step beside me on the walk out to my car. Apparently, God’s idea of helping me keep my distance from Brooks is by forcing me topracticedistancing myself whenever he’s nearby.

“How’s everything going on campus?” he asks.

“Oh, it’s great!” I reply. “The Greek houses are already gearing up for homecoming, so some of the girls are getting busier. But it’s a contagious energy.”

“Are you still thinking of coming to visit Sofia at The Hangout sometime?” Brooks inquires as we reach our cars. Parked right next to each other.

“Umm, yes, I’m hoping to,” I respond aloud.Could you let me know a week youwon’tbe there so I can choose that week to visit?I add internally.

“Any exciting plans for the day?” he asks. My usual knack for easy conversation is failing me right now. That’s the third question in a row that Brooks has asked without me asking anything in return.Pull it together, Teegan. Don’t be obvious about how much his presence throws you off.

“I’m getting dinner tonight with an old acquaintance from college who moved back to Brooklyn,” I say.

“Oh, cool—was she in your sorority?” Brooks asks.

I shrug one shoulder. “No. She was in our rival sorority that I told you about. We . . . weren’t exactly close in college. But it will be good to catch up. What about you? Anything revolutionary on your schedule?”

“Unless you count grading tests as revolutionary, not quite,” he responds with a wry grin.

“I don’t know, a chance to sing through your remix of ‘Bad Blood’ could be pretty exciting,” I tease, even though I know I shouldn’t be teasing Brooks.

Brooks laughs. “Unfortunately, we’ve moved beyond the Revolutionary War now, but maybe I’ll pull out the song to keep grading interesting.”

We smile at each other softly until I abruptly open my car door. “See you on Wednesday!” I exclaim as I move into my car.

“Yep, see you then,” Brooks responds, before singing a line from his song while opening his car door.

I can’t stop the smile that springs to my face, but I’m quick to banish it as I drive away.

“What made you decide to come back to Brooklyn?” I ask Bailey before stuffing a queso-laden chip into my mouth.

Bailey is slow to answer. Her hesitation catches me off guard. “Sorry if that was somehow an intrusive question!” I quickly add. “You don’t have to answer that.” Even though I don’t know how that could be an uncomfortable question.

“No, it’s fine,” Bailey begins, setting a taco down on her plate. “I tried working alongside an independent nutritionist and health coach in Texas. It was fine. But I didn’t really love working with her. And I never really felt like I found good community there.”

I nod, hoping that gives her enough encouragement to continue sharing.

“Brooklyn was the one place that felt the most like home. Or the closest thing I’ve ever felt to home, I guess,” Bailey says, dropping eye contact.

Swallowing my bite, I clear my throat. “You didn’t want to move back to California, where you grew up?”

“Oh, heck no,” Bailey retorts. Based on her widened eyes, I think she surprised herself with her strong reaction.

All of my best-developed social skills have not prepared me for this conversation.I stare dumbly at Bailey, completely lost as to what to ask next.

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