Page 29 of Against All Odds (Ember Falls #3)

Everything and anything I could get my hands on. Shakespeare was my absolute favorite or Jane Austen. I read those stories over and over, which may be the reason I’m in the position I’m in.

The two of them talk about the store, Hazel showing Ana different things, including the section that is meant for anyone who needs to be creative.

“Have you thought about selling books here?” Ana asks.

“Not really,” Hazel confesses.

“I think you could also be a bookstore, you know, for like your favorite things. Like, maybe it’s only books you love.”

Hazel purses her lips. “Well, I only read romance.”

“Oh! That’s even better! You can be a romance-only bookstore. I bet people would love that.” Ana looks around and then jumps to another topic. “Anyway, tell me how you and Vi know each other.”

I smile at them both. “Hazel and I were really close when we were kids.”

Ana’s eyes widen. “Really? So you all hung out?”

“We did,” Hazel replies. “It was mostly Everett, Violet, and I. Sometimes Miles came with us too.”

Analeigh brushes her hand against the counter. “Everett? That name sounds familiar. Have I met him?”

I’m going to kill her. She knows damn well who Everett is and that she hasn’t met him. I’m hoping to keep it that way.

Her filter broke a long time ago, and there’s no way I want anything to spill out that shouldn’t be said, which will happen if they meet.

“You haven’t,” I say, narrowing my eyes at her.

She grins. “Wait, is that your ex-boyfriend? The guy you were in love with before you met Dickless Dylan?”

“Ana ...” I say with a clear warning in my voice.

“What? Maybe that’s a common name out here. We are in the forest and shit.”

Hazel laughs once. “Everett is that same one, and apparently they’ve been hanging out a lot lately ...”

“Have they?”

I huff loudly, but they continue on as though they didn’t hear me.

“Yeah, Everett usually tells me everything, but the last few days he’s been really cagey about all his answers. I was just here the other day, pouring coffee, and someone came in talking about Everett and some new girl dancing at the bar.” Hazel grins after telling her story.

“You don’t say? And, tell me, was this friend pretty?” Ana leans her elbows on the counter and rests her head atop her fists.

“I hear she was. It gets even juicier.”

Ana smiles and her face brightens. “Do tell.”

“When I went over to see Everett the other day, it was really early, before the coffee shop opened. I needed to bring him something, and I saw him coming across the field from his neighbor’s house.”

Analeigh looks to me, her hand covering her mouth. “No, wow, Violet, that must make you very uncomfortable that he’s sleeping with his neighbor.”

I roll my eyes. “Shut up.”

She laughs. “Well, I can tell you that our friend over here, she decided to stop living in hell and put herself out there. She met some guy, but they knew each other. It’s been a whirlwind ever since.”

“Betrayed by both of my closest friends,” I say, throwing my hands up in the air.

They both laugh, and Ana wraps her arm around my shoulder, pulling me to her. “Oh, don’t be so dramatic. I’m just kidding.” Ana’s phone rings, and she looks down and squeals. “I have to take this.” I already know it’s Nick. No one else makes her smile like that.

She walks off to the other side of the coffee shop, giggling and chattering. Hazel is wiping down the machinery and then looks at me. “After Everett’s parents’ accident, he changed a lot. He was dealing with grief and his mother’s condition. It was really hard for him.”

I nod. “I can’t even imagine.”

Hazel puts the rag down and sighs. “He always used his sarcasm and humor as a way to deflect, which is just who he is, right? He’s stubborn and wonderful and a moron and too smart for his own good, but he’s been really lonely.

Whenever I’ve tried to talk to him about dating or anything, he shoots me down, saying he has enough women in his life with his mother and me. ”

I stay silent for a second. “I’m not trying to ...”

I don’t know what I want to say. Not trying to hurt him. Not trying to ruin his life. Not trying to be the mess I am. All of those are true. The last thing I want is to cause more stress in Everett’s life, although that seems to be exactly what I’m doing.

“You’ve made him smile again. I know it’s only been a couple of months that you’ve been back, but already I see him starting to perk up or, I don’t know, but I’m glad you guys are hopefully finding whatever it is you need. I always thought you guys were meant to be,” she says with a smile.

“I don’t know about that,” I say with a sigh. “I am a bit of a mess right now.”

“We all are.”

I laugh. “Yeah, but I’m like a colossal-size one. To the point my best friend just flew six hours after I didn’t answer a phone call, because she was worried. Although Ana is extra and does these things anyway, but she had a gut feeling I needed her.”

“Are you okay?”

Yesterday I would’ve said no. I would’ve cried and felt the intense grief over the course my life has landed on, but right now it doesn’t seem so insurmountable. Between Everett and all his encouragement and Ana today, I know that I’ll be okay.

It won’t be easy, but nothing in life is.

“I am. Just a little overwhelmed, that’s all.”

Hazel leans forward, her palm flat on the counter. “I may not be Analeigh, but you can always come talk to me. No matter what, okay?”

“Thank you, Hazel.”

Ana walks back over with a huge grin. “What did I miss?”

I rest my hand on Hazel’s. “Just my friend reminding me that I’m not so alone here.”