Page 53 of The Ampersand Effect

GRIER—9:12 a.m.

That sounds great. I love the market. And I’m

intrigued by the prospect of watching you

cook.

Tobin couldn’t help but smile. She loved the market—and having Grier with her while they shopped, and later while she cooked… well, it felt an awful lot like hope. The realization was as terrifying as it was exciting. She needed to make sure she approached Saturday with the right mindset, and into wherever that might lead. Whatever this was with Grier.

TOBIN—9:13 a.m.

Great! Do you have any food allergies or aversions?

GRIER—9:15 a.m.

I’m rather adventurous.

TOBIN—9:16

Got it. 11 work for you? We can grab a

snack while we shop, and I’ll cook a late

lunch when we get to my place.

GRIER—9:16

That works.

Tobin felt a surge of satisfaction at the plan falling into place. But one thing still needed to be addressed. She knew their communication and interactions could easily be misconstrued, and she needed clarity before Saturday—they had to be on the same page.

TOBIN—9:20

Hey, Grier?

GRIER—9:20

Yes, Tobin?

TOBIN—9:20

This isn’t a date.

She waited, watching the read receipt appear immediately. The typing bubbles formed, then disappeared. Formed again, then disappeared again. She flipped her phone face-down, refusing to watch the indecision play out in real time.

GRIER—9:23

Okay.

Fourteen

“Ican’t get a read on you,” Grove said, slurping her words through a straw as she sipped a root beer float from Vinny’s, the local pizza diner they’d been patronizing since childhood. Vinny practically raised the local kids on the weekends—most came to hang out, do homework, or sneak a date in the worn booths. A wood-paneled wall bore the carved names of generations, a lasting legacy of what it meant to be a child come of age in Aetheridge.

“Honestly, I can’t really get a read on myself,” Grier admitted, shrugging as she sipped her float across from her sister.

“Have you heard from Tobin?” Grove prodded.

“No. But I haven’t reached out either.” Grier remained calm. “I’m trying to give her space. The attraction is there, that kiss was… staggering.” Her voice trailed off. Grove waited silently, across the booth.