Page 54 of What We Keep
“Well, I’m working now, so I’m not there all day. They’re on track to open soon. They hired an office admin person. It’s gonna be wild when they open,” I teased.
Janet chuckled. “And, how is Haven?”
I didn’t know how Janet knew, but I sensed she knew about me and Haven even though we’d been keeping it very quiet. Of course, my cheeks were burning up. “What do you mean?” I hedged.
She waggled her brows. “Jude might have mentioned something.”
“Oh, God,” I groaned.
“Oh, wait. Is there gossip?” Luna glanced at us as she turned to slide the coffees across the counter.
“Um, I might like Haven. We might, uh, have a…” I didn’t know how to describe what we had.
“A situationship?” Luna offered.
I almost choked on my coffee. “Uh, sure?”
Luna was quiet for a beat, her brown curls bouncing a little when she tipped her head to the side. “You like him.”
My heart gave a little spinning kick in my chest. I was well beyond liking Haven. My cheeks still burning up, I nodded.
“Elsa.” I glanced over my shoulder.
“Josie?”
Josie grinned. “That’s me,” she replied in a singsong voice. I glanced at the man standing beside her, who also looked familiar.
“Tate,” he offered helpfully.
“Oh, that’s right.” My brain started to try to gather the details about them.
Josie jumped in, “Yeah, we were like best friends in high school if you recall.”
“Wait, are you two together?” I was a little confused.
Josie smiled. “We are. We’re engaged.”
“To keep it really simple, if you forgot the gossip bonfire, my ex cheated on me with Tate’s ex, and Tate’s ex was my best friend, and my ex was his best friend.”
“Ohhhh,” I said slowly.
Josie rolled her eyes. “It’s all good. I guess things work out the way they’re supposed to.”
“How are things going out at Heartfire Falls?” Tate asked.
“They’re rolling along. They’re planning to open soon.”
Tate nodded. “And how’s Haven?”
Apparently, Jude was the family gossip. “What do you know?” I blurted out.
He held his hands up. “I come in peace. All I know is Haven totally had a thing for you in high school.”
“What?”
While I was busy trying to absorb that knowledge drop from Tate, my phone vibrated, and I glanced down, my lips tugging into a smile solely at the nickname I’d given Haven in my phone.
Big Guy: I don’t know where you are at work, and I hate to ask, but I need someone to pick Tommy up from school and take him to his doctor’s appointment. I wouldn’t ask except I literally can’t leave.
