Page 30 of Finding You

“And do it when it’s warm out, so we don’t freeze our asses off,” Ashlynn added.

“Okay, fine!” Jade said with a laugh as she got up to pour herself another glass of wine. “Bitch all you want, but me, Levi, and Silas had a great time.” Then she looked over at Ashlynn. “And you were snuggled up with Reid, so I don’t know what you’re complaining about.”

“It was really cold…”

“I imagine you would be used to that with living in the mountains and all,” MacKenzie commented. “The cold weather doesn’t bother me at all. Growing up in upstate New York, it’s just the norm.”

“Are you looking to move to another cooler climate?” Billie asked. “Are you set on going to Oregon?”

She shrugged. “You know…it’s something I swore I’d never do. I mean…my mom walked out on us and had zero interest in staying in touch.” Pausing, she shook her head. “But…she’s all the family I’ve got left.”

“Have you reached out to her?” Chloe asked. “Recently?”

“I keep telling myself that I have to–need to–but then I always chicken out. I’ve looked her up on social media and…and she has a whole new family now. Like…I have siblings or…half-siblings, that probably don’t even know I exist.” She sighed loudly. “Basically, I’m torn. If I reach out to her, there’s a good chance she’s going to tell me to stay away. But if I just show up on her doorstep…”

“She could still say it,” Billie said gently. “Damn, MacKenzie. I’m sorry. Our dad took off when we were younger, but we still saw him and heard from him once in a while. I can’t even imagine how you must feel.”

“I’d say that I had a crappy life, but…I didn’t. My dad was amazing. Like…seriously, he was the best dad in the world and I’d fight anyone who said otherwise. He tried so hard to keep things as normal as possible after my mom left. I swear I don’t know how he did it all. When he died, I was so lost and I didn’t know what to do with myself. I stayed in the apartment we lived in and then it got depressing. I couldn’t move on from my grief because everything of his was still exactly where it was the day he died.”

Billie came and sat beside her and held her hand. “That had to be rough.”

She nodded. “It was. Two years ago when I met Kevin, I thought it was time for me to move out of that apartment and find someplace new. He agreed and somehow convinced me we should move in together. Looking back, I realize just how big of a mistake it was.”

“Hindsight and all,” Avery murmured.

“Exactly. But…I don’t think it was so much that he wanted to live with me as much as he didn’t want to pay the full amount for rent. We split everything fifty-fifty, so…”

“You are so much better off without him,” Ashlynn told her. “So…what happens now? How long are you staying in Sweetbriar?”

“Just until my car’s done.” And yeah, just the thought of it made her sigh. “I hate how much I’m inconveniencing Devin. If there were any rooms available in town…”

“Yeah, the reunion and festival really brought people out of the woodwork,” Avery said before popping an olive into her mouth. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen this many people in town. It’s crazy!”

“But it’s so good for business!” Jade chimed in. “I mean…we’ve sold out of everything almost daily, right Billie?”

“Yup! It means I’m having to make a lot more stuff–especially until the festival is over–but it’s worth it.”

“Here, here!” Ashlynn said as she held up her glass.

After that, the conversation immediately went back to her and Devin, and it felt a little like she was under the microscope.

“Are you going with Devin to all the reunion stuff this weekend?” Chloe asked.

“Um…I really hadn’t planned on it. He asked if I wanted to go, but…” She shook her head. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not?” Avery asked, frowning. “It’s just a big party weekend. It’s not like a big deal just because you didn’t go to school here. You’d be going as Devin’s date.”

“Oh, um…I don’t think that’s what he meant…”

“How else would he mean it?” Ashlynn asked. “He’s a single guy who asked a single girl to go with him to a big celebration. Did he say that he wanted you to go as a friend?”

“No, but…”

“So I’d say that sounds like a date! Yay!” Avery said, clapping her hands happily.

“Okay, okay,” Billie interjected. “Everyone leave MacKenzie alone. You’re scaring her. And if you keep it up, she’ll leave town sooner rather than later.”

“I’m leaving when the car’s done,” she murmured, but no one was listening. They were having a rather spirited discussion over whether or not they were ganging up on her. Sighing, she stood and went to the kitchen and poured herself another glass of wine. Leaning against the counter, she stared out at her little group of new friends and hoped she’d find another group like them wherever she ended up moving to.

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