Page 8 of Fragile Heart

CHAPTER4

Quinn

Thursdays are alwaysmy day off. Martha was nice enough to let me pick one guaranteed day off each week, and for whatever reason, Thursday seemed like a good one to me. I told her I would work the Friday and Saturday night shifts in exchange for a set day off each week.

When I made the agreement with her, I was in a place where I didn’t want to spend my weekends sitting at home alone with my thoughts. There was only so much my family and friends could do for me, so I poured myself into work. I think Martha understood that it was what I needed at the time.

That was four years ago, and I still have the same schedule. Martha checks in with me periodically to make sure I don’t want to change my day off, but I always decline. I like how things are now. I’m content. I’m comfortable.

Maybe I’m a little scared, too.

Having the weekends off means people might expect me to go out. At twenty-six, I feel like I’m past my partying days. Occasionally, Holly and I will go to a bar for drinks, but that’s really it. I’m much more comfortable being at home, so I’ll gladly use work as my excuse.

Which is why, on this particular day off, I spend the entire day baking cookies and rewatching all seven of theChampions of Olympiamovies. It feels like a perfect day to me.

It’s been a few months since I watched the movies, but having the real-life Sebastian in my town made me want to do a rewatch. Not that I really need an excuse. They’re comfort movies for me.

I can’t get over how different Hudson is than I thought he would be. I could tell he was uncomfortable talking to me at the store yesterday, but at least he spoke to me this time. Albeit not much, but it was something.

Janet asking me about the cookies was the kick in the butt I needed. I haven’t baked anything since Christmas four months ago, and I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed it. By early afternoon, I’ve made almost six dozen of my famous pretzel chocolate chip cookies, which should be enough to hand out to everyone in town that wants one. My kitchen is covered in cooling cookies, and I’ve snacked on way too many chocolate chips, so I’m in the beginning stages of a stomachache—the perfect excuse to lie around on my comfy couch and finish my movie marathon.

* * *

Holly: Come get me early so we can watch them film for a little before work

Quinn: Ok, leaving in a few

Since Holly and I have the same shift tonight, we decide to carpool. Her place is on the way for me, so I offered to pick her up.

I tie a white ribbon around my ponytail, add a quick once-over of hair spray to tame the flyaways, do a quick swipe of mascara on my lashes, and call it a day. The Tupperware containers full of cookies are sitting by my front door as a reminder to take them with me today. If I don’t take them, I’ll end up eating every last crumb.

Martha is the best and lets me hand my cookies out to customers even though it probably violates a million health code violations. It’s just easier to hand them out at the diner than walk around, passing them out like a Girl Scout or something.

Holly’s house is barely five minutes from my apartment. She lives in her childhood home with her mom so she can save up for her own place one day.

She walks out wearing the same blue dress as me, but instead of a ponytail, her blonde locks are pushed back with a sparkly headband. She’s the type of girl who doesn’t leave the house without her face fully made up, the complete opposite of me. But I think she enjoys doing it more than she feels she needs it.

She opens the passenger door and slides into the Jeep Cherokee I’ve had for years.

“Another day, another dollar,” she says, strapping herself in.

“Let’s do it.” I drive toward the diner where I’ll park, and then we’ll walk over to the filming location. Of course, I told her that Vaughn invited me to come watch, and she insisted we go.

“What do you think they’re going to be filming in the middle of Main Street?” she asks.

“I have no clue. I don’t even know what the movie is about.”

“I looked it up. It’s some kind of action movie,” Holly says while scrolling through her phone. I didn’t even think to look it up.

“Then maybe they will be jumping off buildings or something.” She laughs at me. “What? That sounds action-y.”

“It sure does, Quinny.”

My usual spot behind the diner is open for me. We probably could have walked to work, but we know our feet will be dying by the time we get off. The thought of walking home so late with sore feet makes me cringe.

“You sure you want to do this?” I ask in a last-ditch effort to not have to stand in a crowd full of people and awkwardly watch celebrities do things.

“Yes, come on.” She grabs my wrist to pull me with her.

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