Page 17 of Everything Has Changed
I thought I would have at least a few months to figure out how to get out of whatever deals my father has going on. I thought I had time to protect our town from the reality of change.
I wasn’t naive. I knew the chances of canceling the deal altogether would be near impossible, but I was willing to get as close as possible. That requires time, though. Time I really don’t have anymore.
Because the reality is, I only have three weeks to lessen any blows that are already headed for our small town.
7
Gwendolyn
The lake glistens under the bright moon. A soft breeze moving through the willows and over the water causes the ripples to dance with light. It’s been a few days since the full moon, and it still took my breath away how beautiful it was.
I snap a photo to send to Kennedy later. It was my way of trying to entice her back home. A few pictures here and there to remind her that the beauty of Willow Grove would never beat New York. She usually reciprocated with a photo of her own to show me there is beauty there, too. While those NYC skyline sunsets are breathtaking, it’ll never beat this.
“Penny for your thoughts?” Piper nudges my shoulder with hers when I release a sigh.
The small bonfire off to our right lights the side of her face as she looks over at me with her wide blue eyes. She picked up on my mood fairly quickly when we met at my apartment so we could walk together to our spot. She didn’t pressure me to spill my guts when she asked if I wanted to talk, and I responded not yet.
It helped that we met up with Jackson, Rowan, and Matt at the lake because the focus wasn’t solely on me anymore. Rowan runs around playing tag with Matt and her father, a sugar high coursing throughher veins thanks to the s’mores we consumed after devouring pizza. Jackson shook his head at Piper when she raised the grocery bag of goodies and announced the dessert plan for the night. He could have easily said no, and she would have put it all away. Instead, he ducked his head when I saw his lips tilting up and reminded Row she had to finish her dinner before she could even think about making a s’more.
I’ve never seen my niece eat so fast. Her eyes stayed glued to the bag at Piper’s feet the whole time.
This was a regular meetup for us. Sometimes other people would join, but it was mostly time for the core group—minus my older sister—to spend together without having to force entertainment. A special place for us to just be. It had been that way ever since we were kids. Our parents would bring us out here to play in the lake or run out some extra energy through the willows; something our grandparents continued to do after they passed. Now we come when we need a little time to take a step back or want to take a breather from the real world.
My fingers pick at the wooden log we are sitting on, reveling in the feel of the rough bark under my nails as I attempt to ease the anxiety building in my chest.
“What if I’m not good enough?”
Piper’s brow furrows. “I need a little more information if we are going to get reflective tonight. Because whatever it is, I know you are more than good enough, but I need specifics for my argument.”
I take a deep breath, my eyes focusing on the water. “The festival. What if I cause it to flop? Or if this is the worst year ever? What if everyone hates my ideas?” The words rush out of me so fast I have to take another gulp of air after I stop.
Piper places her hand over mine where I was mindlessly shredding the bark off the log. I wipe the remnants off my hands and tuck them between my knees.
“Okay, my simple answer is none of those what-ifs are going to come true.”
“You’re obligated to say that.” I drop my forehead to my knees with a groan.
Piper’s hand rubs my back in soothing circles. “You know damn well I’m not obligated to say anything I don’t want to. If, for whatever reason, I thought you couldn’t do it, I promise I would tell you so that we could figure it out together. But, babe, you have been preparing for this almost your whole life. I couldn’t pick a better person myself.”
I peer up at her from between the locks of hair that fell in my face. “You mean that?”
She chuckles, pushing back the hair so she can look at me fully. “Absolutely. And you already told me your ideas. Every single one will be a hit, so I don’t think it will matter which one they give the green light to.”
I pick at a fray on the knee of my jeans. “They were incredibly adamant that this needed to be a top year for the festival.”
Piper’s nose scrunches. “I wonder why.”
“Infrastructure updates in the city, I guess. Mr. Spencer mentioned investors, which is shocking. Why do we need investors?”
“Hmm.” She looks contemplative as she watches Rowan tackle Jackson to the ground.
“What’s that look for?”
“Seems odd, right? They just did a full beautification last year and restored some of the older buildings the year before. And the investor thing is a bit strange.” She thinks for a second before she shrugs, her expression relaxing a bit. “What do I know about running a town, though?”
“Not much,” I admit as her words sink into my brain. The weirdness of the pressure they placed on me gets heavier the longer I think about it. “Then there’s the whole Logan thing.”
“Have you talked to him?”
