Page 75 of Accidentally Falling
“I could probably ask Montana. He knows all those guys in Clementine Creek better than I do.”
“I’ll let you know. I’m not ready to throw in the towel just yet.”
“Well, in that case, I have a couple of hours to kill until I have to help unload farm animals.”
“Now you’re an accomplice after the fact?” he taunts, but I can’t argue with him because he’s right.
“Where she goes, I go, man. It’s wild but it feels like I’m finally living.”
“Happiness looks good on you, brother.”
Nodding, I pick up a new paintbrush. “I can’t wait for you to find yours.”
“I think I found it. I just need him to realize it too.”
41
ARDEN
“Oh, good, you brought snacks!” my sister says when I hoist my canvas bag into the truck and narrow my eyes at her.
“You told me to bring snacks,” I grunt as I pull myself up into the seat with a huff. “And there’s no way in hell I want to eat your chips,” I tell her, wrinkling my nose. “I might make you eat them with the window open.”
“That’s not nice.”
“Neither is making the cab smell like a gym locker.”
This time my sister wrinkles her nose. She winces as I buckle my seatbelt. “Well, thanks for that. You might have to share your snacks because now all I can think about is gym lockers.”
“You should probably thank me.”
“I’ll do no such thing.” She sniffs, easing out onto the road. “And you can deal with Montana when he comes home to find alpacasanda pallet of pickle chips I can’t eat.”
“Shut up, you didnotget a pallet of chips.” I laugh, turning up “Whole Lotta Little” by Emily Ann Roberts on the radio.
Ellison twists her lips in a wry grin. “It’s not a pallet, but it is far more bags than any one person should ever have in their possession at one time.”
“Oh! Maybe you should give them to Cal. Did you know he’s coaching the varsity cross-country team?”
“Yeah, I think I’m up to like six things I’ve left in the art room that haveworld’s best coachprinted on them.”
“You’re ridiculous.” I laugh but she just shrugs.
“I like to think I keep things interesting.”
“Can’t argue that,” I concede, “but maybe you can give them to Cal for the team? I mean, they’re running and healthy but they’re still teenagers.”
“That’s a good point. I’ll have to ask him. He’s trying to be sneaky and plan a baby shower at work and I’m going to kill him.”
“Oh, that sounds terrible.”
“Okay, well, no,” she says pointedly, looking at me before returning her eyes to the road. “You’ll have a shower.”
“Ellison.”
“No. You get to do all these fun things too.”
“You’re not selling it.”
