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Story: Hidden Harbor

“True.”

She pointed at me. “You’re young. You should be doing whatever the hell you want too.”

“Minus that pesky working thing.”

“Quit using it as an excuse.”

I rubbed my chest. “Ouch, Gran. You’re hitting hard tonight.”

“You can take it.”

“And on that positive note, I’m going to make myself dinner. You sure you don’t want anything?”

“Nah. We’re getting hot dogs at the cocktail bar.”

“Just tell me it’s not with Mr. Reyes.”

“No comment.”

I guess if it meant an end to their feud, I’d take it, but I’d just as soon she didn’t date our neighbor. Somehow, I doubted Gran’s idea of courting rituals would work for me. Planting naked statuary in Anya’s lawn would probably only enhance my creep factor. Though maybe I should study Gran’s ways. If she managed to date her next-door enemy after her antics and smart mouth, there had to be hope for me.

First, I’d scared Anya this morning. She’d tried to hide it, but emerging from the park like a stalker had made her nervous. I didn’t mean to alarm her, but that’s what I did.

Class had been a gentle kind of torture. Trying to relax with her melodious voice in my ear, her touching me to make adjustments meant a constant battle to keep my sweatpants from revealing more than I intended about exactly hownotrelaxed I was. Asking her for coffee was my karmic attempt at an apology, and it’d backfired. Blurting out how beautiful she was seemed like a good idea, right until I vomited the words out.

She’d probably tell my sister. Blacklist me from future gatherings. Maybe it was good that I liked the hermit life. It was all I was good for. I opened my big mouth, and nonsense fell out.

My phone buzzed.

Zach: Let’s grab dinner tonight.

Drew: So long as it’s not at the cocktail bar, I’m in.

Lee: What did booze ever do to you?

Zach: Don’t answer that.

Drew: Gran is at the cocktail bar.

Lee: The brewery it is.

Zach: I’m inviting Clay to join us.

I grunted and grabbed my keys. Trust my brother to destroy my plans to become a loner. At least hanging out with the guys would keep me out of trouble. Next time I saw Anya, I’d dobetter. Lean into my meager helping of Fenwick family charm and smooth things over.

Chapter 8 – Anya

Picking up my phone at the end of my last class was a mistake. If I’d thought my impromptu coffee date with Drew wouldn’t get around, I’d underestimated the island grapevine. And Zach. Maybe he held a grudge against Drew for flouting his authority and coffee line. Maybe he just had a big mouth.

Rae: What’s this I hear about you and Tall, Dark, and Broody (TDB) having a cozy coffee date this morning?

Vi: Rude. That’s my brother you’re talking about.

Lucy: I call him Tall, Dark, and Booty.

Rae: lol

Lucy: Who can blame me? That ASS. Who’s rude now?