Page 15 of Switching Skates

She swipes her finger up the screen, and pages of messages between the two load. They clearly aren’t struggling to find things to talk about.

“Maeve, I was gone for, like, two hours …” I break off, laughing out loud.

She shrugs with pink cheeks. “What can I say? We hit it off.”

“I see that!”

“Celebrate?” she asks with a menacing look, her chin tipped down and eyes locking on mine. “Maybe a little girls’ night in?”

I shove her shoulder as I unlock my Jeep. “You’re dumb. Every night is a girls’ night in for us.”

“Yeah. BUT I am not usually talking totheJackson Ridley. And I need your help flirting.”

“Oh, girl, from the looks of it, you’re doing just fine.”

She walks around my Jeep and hops in the passenger seat.

“But yes. Are we out of popcorn? I have to stop by the grocery store to grab a couple of things before going home.”

She nods and steals a sip from my water bottle.

I throw my bag in the back before hopping into my seat and driving out of the parking lot to Hy-Vee. “Start a list.”

“Ready!”

We spend the next five-minute drive creating a small grocery list, consisting of everything a girl needs—snacks, a few meals, more snacks, fresh fruit, salad kits, ice cream, and energy drinks.

“You’ve got to be kidding me. I swear if you’re trying to play matchmaker right now, I’m going to kill you,” I growl, spotting Mason’s blue Ford Ranger in the parking lot.

She holds her hands up with fear in her eyes. “Youpicked this place. I didn’t suggest anything!”

Rolling my eyes at her and huffing out a breath, I kill the engine. “Well, I’m going to be an adult about this. I’m not going to go to a different store just because he’s here.”

I cock my head to the side, contemplating that decision, apparently long enough for Maeve to feel the need to slap my arm.

“Oh my God,no. Just get out of the car. It will be fine.” Maeve laughs at me.

“Fiiiine.”

Grabbing one of my reusable HomeGoods bags I always keep in the middle console, along with my wallet and phone, I join her outside.

The sun steals my attention away from Mason.

Gosh, it’s beautiful right now. So many shades of red, orange, and yellow flowing through the sky like waves.

“Daph!” Maeve pulls me from my stupor, and I shake my head, refocusing on the task at hand, my mood instantly dropping at the reminder of where I’m at and who else is here.

“Coming!” I jog to her, looping my arm in hers. “Okay, but did you see that sunset, Mae? It’s stunning.”

She grins. “Every sunset in the Midwest is pretty.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy each one individually.” I scoff.

She always says that I could find deeper meaning in a rock. But I think it has more to do with my empathy than anything.

I like to see beauty in the small parts of life. To slow down and smell the roses or study the sunset. Help a bug find its way back outside. Watch wildlife in awe.

I like the things that happen around me. The way the world spins and moves without me, reminding me that I’m a mere speck in existence. It’s grounding.