Page 58 of Woke Up Like This
“Sure thing. Drive up to the second window.”
The person on the intercom turns out to be a woman in her forties. She looks like she needs her chakras balanced by Kassie. Still, she manages to put a small smile on her face as Renner pays for our order.
“I gave you a large Frosty instead,” she tells Renner, handing it over with a small, grease-stained brown bag.
“Hey, thanks, Stacy,” he says, eyeing her name tag. “You have yourself a good night.”
“How do you do that?” I ask, shooting Renner a pointed look as he dumps the hot bag in my lap.
“Do what?”
I wave my hand vaguely in his direction as I stuff my hand in the bag. “Whatever magic you do with people.”
He pulls into a parking space ahead. “You mean like being a decent human?”
I chew off the end of the first fry. “Yeah. How do you do it? You made that woman’s night.”
“Customer service sucks. I’m sure she’d rather be at home with her family, if she has one. If I have the luxury of going home, why not try to raise her spirits?” He asks like it’s a no-brainer. Something everyone should just do.
My heart twinges as I consider. I’ve seen Renner’s magic at work all of high school. He’s often used his charm on teachers so he could get away with doing the bare minimum in class. I always harbored jealousy because I assumed it was purely for personal gain. But maybe I was wrong.
My breath hitches when he reaches over the console and digs his hand into my fries. “Hey, get your own fries.”
“You have to share with your doting fiancé,” he teases. I watch as his ice-cream-dipped fry disappears behind his lips. I turn away as heat gathers between my legs. I work at an ice cream store, and soft-serve never looks this enticing.
Before that thought burrows too far into my mind, my phone vibrates.
Nori:Hint—Pete Takedown.
I angle it so Renner can read.
“The ball field,” we shout in unison. This is an easy one. In tenth grade, Pete was famously tackled there by a police officer after an elaborate prank. He stuffed ripped-out pages of a corner store porn magazine into all the mailboxes along the street. The incident ended up on the cover of the local paper. It was all anyone could talk about for weeks.
Renner speeds through Maplewood’s old, empty streets, while I shout directions in his ear and pass him fries. With each turn, I’m besieged with flashbacks of that morning in his van picking up prom decor. Only this time, being with Renner doesn’t feel like punishment.
Apparently, we’re a great navigational team. We arrive just seconds before Lainey and Pete.
Renner gives me an enthusiastic high five. “Good job, navigator.” He flashes me an adorable wink, and I promptly stuff a handful of fries in my mouth as the heat prickles down my back. I crank the AC and notice that my mouth is set in the slightest smile. Logically, it feels wrong to smile hours after finding out Dad is dead. Things have never been worse, and yet, I’m happy. I don’t want to be anywhere else, with anyone else. It’s strange how these two things can exist in parallel.
“All right, your turn to hide,” Nori says, pointing to our car.
“It’s on.” Ollie points dramatically to Lainey and Pete’s vehicle. “Make it a tough one,” he shouts toward us from his car.
Renner and I drive down Main Street, brainstorming possible hiding spots.
“I feel like it has to be somewhere new. To throw them off,” I suggest.
He strokes his chin in contemplation. “How about Walnut Creek? Me and the guys used to fish there sometimes. They might actually catch on depending on the clue. And there’s a lot of tree coverage to hide the car. Fry me.” He leans over as I slip a fry between his lips.
I take in a breath and shift my gaze to the window. “That works. What’s our hint?”
Renner shrugs, eyes fixed on the dark road ahead. “Dunno. You’re the brains of this operation.”
I drum my fingers on my thigh. “How aboutgood fats? Since nuts and fish are full of fat?”
Renner raises his brow. “That’s ... abstract. You really think they’ll guess that?”
“Okay, fine. Something simpler ... How aboutnuts about fishing?”
