Page 5 of Jumping In

Beck gives me a warm smile and then turns her head to see her best friend, Sophie, walking up behind her. My jawalmost hits the floor as I notice Sophie is sporting a cute little baby bump. I look at Beck, and she nods, confirming what I’m seeing. “Holy shit, Sophie! How did I not know you were pregnant?”

Sophie shrugs sheepishly, her perfectly curled hair bouncing and her brown eyes sparkling. She’s already got the pregnancy glow and my heart fills with happiness for her and Noah. “We just started telling people, and I wanted it to be a surprise. Your mom mentioned you were going to be home soon when I told her, so I asked her not to tell you. Don’t be mad.”

“I’m not mad at all! Surprised, but so happy for you,” I say genuinely.

I give Beck my order and pay for the iced dirty chai and a fruit Danish. As Sophie hands me the Danish, Beck comes around the counter and joins me at a table. The couple sitting next to us, Mr. and Mrs. Wells, welcome me home and tell me how happy they are that I’m back. They both say how proud they are of me for following my dreams and heading off to law school. Beck watches my face closely, and I try not to cringe at the praise.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to hear that people are proud of me, but I’ve always been the town’s golden girl and it’s a lot of pressure sometimes. If I make a mistake, it’s not just my parents I’d be disappointing.

Beck and I chat for a bit, neither of us acknowledging the law school comment. Once I finish my pastry, I grab my drink, give Beck another hug, and then head out to my Jeep to pick up Shannon.

Chapter 3

Mac

My Chemical Romance blares from the garage speakers and I bob my head to the rhythm while tightening up the last spark plug. Finishing this car is the last thing I have to do before lunch. Then one more car after that and I get to call it a day. I’m looking forward to a quiet evening with some pizza and a movie later. I wipe my sweaty brow with the back of my hand and grab my water bottle off the workbench. Taking a swig, I hear the ping of my phone in my back pocket.

In the group chat “BAMF” that I’ve had with my best friends Blake and Austin since we got cell phones years ago, there’s a new text. BAMF stands for Blake, Austin and Mac but then Austin, ever the goofball, realized if we added an “f” it could also stand for bad-ass-mother-fuckers.

Austin:She’s baaaaccckkkkkk

I roll my eyes. He’s talking about MJ and, of course, I know she’s back. Not only did I see her red Jeep rolling through town earlier today, but I also got a text from Beck a few hours ago. Not to mention, the Quad Squad group chat, also named by Austin, has been blowing up aboutplans for tomorrow. I am well-the-fuck-aware she’s back. My phone pings again.

Austin:We’re having a Grill and Chill down by the creek like old times as a welcome home kinda thing. You should come

Me:I’m busy

Austin:You’re always busy dude

Blake:You can’t avoid her forever

Austin:Gonna be kinda hard with her home for the summer and you working with her dad

I shake my head, sighing. Yeah, her dad, who so graciously agreed to handle my case even though I know he’s constantly looking down his nose at me. Mr. Lawrence is a nice guy, always has been, but it’s clear he believes all the town gossip he hears. The case has just solidified his opinion of me.

The Lawrences and my family have always been friends. As kids, we made it hard for them not to be because the four of us were practically inseparable. But as we got older, my brother got into trouble, Dad got sick, and I had to make adult decisions. Suddenly, the friends my parents had were few. Which is fine by me. We do better on our own, anyway.

Me:Not avoiding her, just don’t need to be a part of some welcome home when we haven’t talked in six years.

I send my half-truth and then slip my phone back into my pocket. The full truth is maybe I have been avoiding MJ, and I sure as fuck don’t want to welcome her back home after she’s been away at her fancy-pants college for four years.

Almost seven years ago, when we were sixteen, I realized MJ was so far out of my league that I needed to give up any hope of her and me being a thing. She was growing up and getting too big for this little Podunk town. Too big for me. MJ and me, we have always connected, and there’s always been an attraction there. She is both smart and funny, as well as kind. She got me like few people do. Connecting over books and movies when we were kids, MJ could coax out my softer side, a side most people don’t see. But that’s MJ—breaking down walls I didn’t even know I had.

The summer before our junior year, MJ was already talking about what college she was thinking about going to and then which law school after that. She had dreams; she was going somewhere, and I wasn’t—didn’t. Case in point, she’s back home after four years away at college and I’m here working in the auto shop. The same auto shop I will continue to work at until I die.

MJ has always been the pipe dream. I knew it back then and I still know it now. I knew she had a thing for me; well, I guessed at least, but from the moment I realized I wanted her in more ways than one, I kept my distance. The last thing I needed to do was give her false hope that we could be something. I’m not sure if she noticed considering I didn’t hear from her after they all graduated high school, aside from lurking in the Quad Squad group chat. I’m guessing shedidn’t care to notice. She’s got a whole new life and all these experiences, and I just don’t fit in with her anymore.

So no, I won’t be joining in on the little “Grill and Chill” to welcome her back home; she’s better off without me around.

A few hours later, sitting at the small table across from my mom, we eat in a comfortable silence. I don’t get to do it often, but I try to bring her lunch while she’s working at the bookstore every now and then. Today I brought simple salads I threw together from what she had in the fridge at home.

The bell dings over the door and my mom pops up from her chair to check on the potential customer. There are already a few milling about the small bookstore, but in a small town like Oakridge, it’s unlikely anyone will steal a few books. If you believe the rumors, Mom should really be more worried about me stealing something in here. I continue eating my salad but practically choke when I hear a familiar voice.

“Mrs. Macdonald, it is so good to see you,” she says in a cheery tone.

“Oh, Emmalynn, it’s wonderful to see you, dear. Are you back in town for a while?” my mom asks. Her soft footsteps get closer to the tiny office behind the counter. I know MJ can’t see me, but I can see my mom making acome heremotion.Fuck that. I love my mom, but I’m not going out there. I try to tune out their small talk and focus on my salad. Mom’s footsteps get closer, and I look up at her exasperated face.

“Why didn’t you come out?” she asks.

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