Page 18 of Small Town, Big Storm

Sit around in the dark, twiddling my thumbs?

Jerking off until I’m raw and feeling like the ultimate loser of all time?

Or maybe I’m already there.

A fucking loser.

A failure.

A—

“You’re funny,” Chloe says and I snap back into the present, realize I’ve managed to shove my way to the bottom of the slide.The little girl smiles down at me and starts chattering about a kid named Jake, who apparently is allergic to oranges.

Why she’s imparting this bit of knowledge onto me, I don’t know.

Or maybe it’s just that she likes to talk.

I’ve learned she lives down in Oakland with her dad who plays for the Eagles, but her former nanny and now soon-to-be stepmom, Finn, does craft fairs, including the monthly one that Blossom puts on at Bits & Bobs.

Christ.

I cannot believe that Bits & Bobs is still around.

And further that, I cannot believe thatBlossomis running it.

She…well, when we were classmates she was about as far from thecraftytype as I could imagine—black lipstick, fishnet tights, shit-kicker Doc Martens, and a constant scowl that didn’t exactly scream selling yarn and sparkly fabric and little signs with inspirational sayings on them.

But…time’s change, yeah?

This slide hasn’t, though.

Of course, it just used to be a lot bigger.Or I used to be a lot smaller.Or?—

Chloe extends her little hand, as though to help me up.Meanwhile, I’m two-hundred-plus pounds and could flatten her with barely a thought.

For some reason, though, I still wrap my fingers around hers, let her tug at my arm.

She grunts softly, her brows pulled into a tight V, as she “helps” me up to my feet.

“You wanna go again?”she asks.

“I think the slide would rather I didn’t.”

Laughter from my side, but not from Chloe or Holly.

From Poppy.

And for a moment, I’m frozen.

Because there isn’t concern on her face, or stress clinging to her shoulders, or anger lingering in her smile, and her eyes don’t seem to be doing their best to deliberately avoid mine.

It’s just…laughter.

And it’s fucking beautiful.

And then I’m right back in that moment.

Right back to that summer.