Page 24 of The Goode Girls of Maple Lane
HANNAH:Can you afford that?
CAMERON:I can’t afford full-price bread
HANNAH:Doesn’t Hot Sweater Guy do social media?
CAMERON:When did he stop being Plant Guy and become Hot Sweater Guy?
HANNAH:When you started wanting him to nail you to a wall
CAMERON:Sounds painful. Not sure I’m interested
HANNAH:Aren’t you, Cam? AREN’T YOU???
I have to laugh. She has a point. One night of kissing and a lot of things hold new appeal. I’d love to tell her all about last night, and get her advice on how to handle the jumble of intense feelings I woke up with this morning, but unless I want to cut Aggie’s exercise short or lose my only remaining source of income, I don’t have the time.
CAMERON:I need to walk the celebrity and get to work. Chat later?
HANNAH:Damn straight. I want to hear how she’s handling her fame
I slide off the bench and throw an arm around Aggie, snapping and sending a quick selfie.
CAMERON:So far, pretty chill
HANNAH:Aww, look at you two! A match made in heaven
CAMERON:Maybe I’ll use it for the next TikTok
HANNAH:Good idea. Or should I say Goode idea?
CAMERON:Cute. I might steal that
HANNAH:Wait. Is that a new sweater? ??
CAMERON:??
HANNAH:??
CAMERON:I’ll fill you in later
HANNAH:My phone won’t leave my side
I check the time and decide I can affordonemore minute on my phone, firing off a quick text to Everett with a link to the account and a long row of shocked-face emojis. The dots appear right away and his reply comes a moment later.
EVERETT:Wow. Very cool. I thought you hated social media
CAMERON:I’m... turning over a new leaf
EVERETT:Looks like you turned over a whole tree
CAMERON:It’s just for fun. I’m not going pro like you
EVERETT:Give it time, Goode. Give it time
I bite down a smile, reveling in the knowledge that I have two people to share things with now. Maybe that shouldn’t feel so huge, so like a foundational shift in my universe, but it does.
CAMERON:Speaking of time, I have to head to work soon. Talk later?
EVERETT:I’ll stop by after work. Can’t wait to hear more. Xo
