Page 78 of The Rebound
“Jess, this is my friend Beth and this is her café.”
“Shut up,” Jess says. “You own this?”
Beth nods, her eyes flicking to Jess’s boots in a way that makes me think they’re another one of her happy places.
“It’s so cute!” Jess exclaims, and she sounds so unintentionally condescending that I wince. Beth hears it too, her smile dropping, but Jess doesn’t notice, already strolling inside.
We follow.
“You’ve got books! And the décor! Shabby chic, I love it.”
Beth looks at her doubtfully as if not sure if she’s making fun of her or not.
“Are these cookies vegan?” Jess asks, peering into the counter display.
“Um… no. The strawberry slice is.”
Jess makes a face. “I don’t like strawberries.”
And that’s enough. “Beth, can you give us one second?”
“Sure,” she mumbles as I drag Jess back outside.
“Stop it,” I say.
“Stop what?”
“Being you,” I hiss. I risk a glance inside to see Beth rearranging the cookie display.
“What are you talking about? I’m being nice.”
“No, you’re being intimidating. You might not realize it but you are. Beth’s been really kind to me and her café is not doing well, so could you please try and—”
“Oh my God.”
Jess’s eyes latch onto something behind me and I turn to see Luke emerge from the staircase, talking to Beth.
“Who isth— Hey! Stop doing that,” Jess protests as I pull her farther from the café.
I ignore her, explaining in a frantic whisper about Luke and Beth and me and slowly her stubborn expression turns thoughtful.
“You know,” she says. “You pretend you’re super boring but you’ve always got some little drama happening, don’t you? It’s like the time you told me you had a migraine all weekend but really you’d gone to Aspen with that Hollister model from reception.”
“Please don’t make this a thing.”
“Obviously,” she says, looking insulted. “But if he’s your first hookup after Tyler, I’m going to need a full rundown of what the sex is like. A blow by blow, if you will.”
“You’re incorrigible.”
“So many big words,” she pouts, pinching my cheek. “I can barely keep up with it all. I’ll be good. Stop being weird.”
We head back in and I’m relieved to see Luke has already disappeared upstairs, the floorboards creaking overhead.
“He was just getting a coffee,” Beth says. “He’s studying but I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you—”
“Oh no,” I say quickly. “I’m just here for Jess.”
“She really wanted to show me this place,” Jess says brightly. “Skinny latte,” she adds to a confused Ollie, who emerges from the back. “Oat milk if you have it. It’s super nice. How long have you guys been open?”
