“Thanks. I’ll bring out your stuff when it’s ready.” I dismiss her with a polite smile and turn to the next patron, a younger professional woman who’s clearly torn between wanting to hear the gossip and wanting to make whatever early morning appointment she’s all dressed up for.
At the wave of my hand for her card, she makes the quick decision that she can’t be late. Good call, lady.
The line moves on, and so do the comments, some hushed, some intentionally carrying across the small café. I ignore them all. So does my boss, Lucy, although her ignorance stems from busyness rather than deliberate indifference.
“Weird morning, isn’t it?” Lucy says as I’m hanging up my apron on the back hook. She’s elbows-deep in flour.
“Why do you say that?” I feign ignorance.
From the racks of cooling baked goods, I pluck an extra muffin and donut for Reed. If it were me, I wouldn’t be able to eat a bite, but that boy seems to have a stomach of steel. Apparently being accused of murder doesn’t faze him one bit.
Lucy shrugs. “Vibe seems off. Everyone’s quiet this morning.”
“It’s Monday,” I say, and that reply seems to satisfy her.
After all my goodies are packed away, I sling my backpack over my shoulder and make the short walk to Astor Park. It’s hard to believe that only a few months have passed since I started school here. Time flies when you’re fighting bullies and falling in love.
Only Easton is waiting for me on the front steps when I arrive from the bakery. I frown, because usually Reed is with him, but my man is nowhere to be seen. It’s clear by the acre of space around Easton that the Astor Park kids are all up-to-date on their daily news. Any other day and this gorgeous boy would be surrounded by girls.
“What’d you bring me, sis?” Easton jogs over to snatch the white pastry box from my hands.
“Donuts, muffins.” I look around again. “Where’s Reed?”
Easton doesn’t look up from his examination of the goodie box, so I can’t make out his expression. I do notice that his shoulders tense up a little. “Talking to Coach,” is all he says.
“Oh. Okay. Like, a meeting or something?”
“Or something.”
I narrow my eyes. “What aren’t you telling me?”
Before he can respond, Val comes strolling over to us.
“Hey, girl!” She flings an arm around my shoulder. Either she hasn’t read the papers yet or doesn’t care. I’m hoping it’s the latter.
“Hey, Val.” As I greet her, I don’t miss the relief on Easton’s face. He’s definitely keeping something from me.
Val’s gaze falls to the box in Easton’s hand. “Tell me you have something for me,” she begs.
“Chocolate chip muffin.” I smile wryly as she grabs the muffin and takes a huge bite. “Bad morning?”
“You have no idea. Jordan’s alarm went off at five this morning and she slept through Katy Perry’s “Rise” for five repeats. I officially hate Katy Perry and Jordan.”
“That’s what makes you hate Jordan?” In the chronicles of mean girls, Jordan Carrington might be the patron saint. There are so many things to hate her for other than her music taste.
Val laughs. “Among other things. Anyway, you’re a goddess. And a trooper, because your morning must be a million times worse than mine.”
I frown at her. “What do you mean?”
She raises one eyebrow, which gives her already pixie-like face an even more elfish look. “I mean, Reed beating up Ronald Richmond at practice. Everyone’s talking about it and it only happened an hour ago.”
My jaw drops. Then I spin around to glare at Easton. “Reed beat someone up? Why didn’t you tell me?”
He smiles around a mouthful of pastry, and I’m force to wait until he swallows before I get a reply. “Because it’s no biggie, okay? Richmond was running his mouth and Reed put a stop to it. He didn’t even get suspended or anything. Coach just gave him a warning—”
I’m already marching to the front doors. I can’t believe Reed got into a fight and Easton didn’t tell me about it!
“Wait up,” Val calls out.
I stop to let her catch up to me, then take off at a brisk pace again. Maybe I can intercept Reed before he goes to his first class. I know he can handle himself in a fight, but I want to see him with my own two eyes and make sure he’s okay.
“I saw the paper this morning,” Val says in a quiet voice as she keeps up with my breakneck strides. “My aunt and uncle were talking about it. Things are bad in the Royal palace, huh?”