Chapter 6

chapter

six

OWEN

With the last of the students gone, this night concludes the last of float-building madness before the big day. After tonight, we don't have to talk about chicken wire and school spirit for another 365 days.

Thank fuck .

And the sooner I can get out of here, the better.

I saunter back inside the old factory to finish cleaning, since Maple was too busy on her phone to sweep, but a commotion stops me in my tracks. Addie tears a bag of Skittles open, and a rainbow shower of the bright round candy explodes in a waterfall around her feet with tiny ticks against the concrete floor. It sounds like the beginning of a flash flood storm.

She yelps as I rush to grab the broom, careful not to crush her cherished Skittles.

As I start to sweep, my phone vibrates in my pocket. "Did you not have enough tonight? You inhaled most of the other bag like it was your last meal. Have you even eaten dinner?"

She twists her lips. "I had a cookie."

"That's not food."

"There were pear slices on it. It counts."

I open my mouth, concern itching its way up and down my throat like nails on a chalkboard. Addie needs to eat a real, balanced meal, and my protective instincts kick in, sifting through my brain for ways to make it happen.

But my phone vibrates with another call.

On a sigh, I rest the broom against the edge of the table and march outside, phone to my ear, on the other end of which is a frantic Lottie. My heart sinks as she talks through uneven breaths.

"I forgot my keys at my house, and I need them to lock the studio."

I pinch the bridge of my nose as my pulse steadies once again. From the panic in her voice, I would've thought she'd broken her arm or something else equally alarming had happened. Her keys are the last thing she should be so panicked over. "Why are they not with your car keys?"

"I didn't drive here today. Mom dropped me off on her way to Whitney's, and I didn't think to take the keys with me. I figured I didn't need them since I wasn't taking my car. That makes sense, right? Shit ," she hisses as her breaths release in faster puffs, echoing through the speaker.

"Hey, hey," I say calmly, switching gears for her benefit. "It's fine. I'm not too far away. I'll be there with my spare key in a few minutes. Just need to finish?—"

"You're a lifesaver! Thank God." She releases a heavy sigh loaded with obvious relief, and I can't help the smile tugging on my lips.

Crisis averted .

My little sister always holds her emotions right at the surface. She's reacted in similar fashion to misplacing her lucky sweater as she did after accidentally backing her car into Mom's at a family dinner last year.

And while this isn't the emergency I initially worried it was, I do need to get to her ASAP before her blood pressure rises any higher.

"I need to run by the square, but I'll be back," I announce to the group. Seems Caroline's taken off already, and Austin has assumed my position behind the broom.

He shrugs with indifference, but I'm not so lucky with Addie. She laughs, but what's supposed to be a humorous sound is one of sarcasm, instead. "How typical of you to try to get out of the dirty work. You swoop in for the fun and cookies, and then you bail before your job is complete."

"You think this was fun? I mean, I enjoyed the free cookies, but I would've rather paid triple the normal price just to not be here."

"Other than the fact that this is our job, homecoming is full of traditions. It's up to us to uphold them and teach these kids the value of such things. How would you feel if they grow up and remember nothing special about their high school experience? Do you want that on your conscience?"

Something in my chest stirs over the passionate way she delivers this speech, and a grin pulls at the corners of my lips.

I find myself staring. Not just staring, really. I'm… admiring.

I'm admiring Addie Lockhart for all her intense but cooky and respectable ways.

"What?" She blinks.

I feel Austin's eyes on me too, and my fucking face heats and tingles like I'm… Wait, am I blushing ?

"You have cookie crumbs on your chin," I quickly say.

From where I stand, I can't actually confirm if she does, but while she's distracted, I use it as a chance to escape.

I don't turn away fast enough, though, as I have the misfortune of glimpsing the way she touches her delicate fingers to her slightly pointed chin. Her nails are painted black, with one finger sparkling gold. She didn't miss a single detail in her festive outfit.

Why do I find that so… cute?

Without a word, I dart out of the old bread factory and jump into my car like my ass is on fire. I drive toward the square, jerking my steering wheel with more force than necessary and heavily leaning into my door with each turn. I drive as if I'm angry at the asphalt.

What the hell was that?

I'm still in a confusing daze as I reach The Boozy Brush and find out Lottie needs more than just my spare key.

Once I enter the studio, I find her in the corner, hunched over the sink washing paintbrushes. "Can you please help me?" she asks over her shoulder.

The pleading look in her wide eyes hits me in the gut, and I can't say no, even though I'm well aware that Addie will never forgive me for this delay.

I told her I'd be right back, but it's not going to happen.

I can't leave my sister high and dry. Addie at least has Austin with her, so she's not alone, not like Lottie would be if I leave.

So, I sidle up next to my little sister, make a show of sliding imaginary sleeves up to my elbows, and assist her in washing the used brushes.

She briefly leans her temple to my shoulder as the sink fills with streaks of greens and reds. "Thank you," she says on a sigh.

Over the last few months, I've been pulled in all kinds of directions, but at times like these, where I know I'm making a difference for my family, my world rights itself. Like my life steadies on its axis.

I couldn't do this sort of thing when I played baseball. I lived in Atlanta, a brutal three-hour drive from here. There were also the practices, games, and traveling. I couldn't show up for my family like this, for all the big and little moments. At times, it felt like I was a forgotten member of the Conrad crew.

Being needed and fulfilling that need provides me a special sense of purpose I never knew before.

Thirty minutes later, I lock up and wave toward my truck. "Come on. I'll give you a lift home real quick."

Lottie's living with our parents for the time being, and Dad should be there to let her in since his pharmacy closed an hour ago.

After I drop her off, I cruise through town, checking the time on my dash repeatedly. This is taking far longer than I anticipated.

A glimpse of the neon sign at Lucy's Diner stops me from heading straight back to the float site. I'm already on thin ice with Addie, so what's another ten minutes?

I pull into the lot by the diner, park, and shoot a quick text in a group thread with Austin and Addie to apologize for my delay.

I get nothing in return from Addie, but Austin tells me they're finished and have left already.

In a separate thread, I text only Austin and ask for Addie's address.

Also, what's her favorite meal from Lucy's?

AUSTIN

How should I know that?

You're her friend.

I'm the kind of friend she calls when she needs help with her car, and that's only because I'm a mechanic.

You must have shared a meal with her at some point in the past.

I guess that might've last happened over the summer.

And what did she eat?

That's like asking me what we talked about, or what her favorite color is. I don't know the answer to either, man.

I press the heel of my palm into my eye, then text him back, practically begging him to dig deep into the recesses of his stubborn brain to recall her favorite order. It doesn't even have to be her favorite. Anything she does, in fact, enjoy would be helpful.

After five whole minutes, he finally returns with a useful answer—fried green tomatoes and a BLT.

With these new pieces of information in my holster, for yet another inexplicable reason, the stirring in my chest from before intensifies.