((Happy Tuesday, here's an update. I apologize for the length of this bad boy, but tbh there's a lot of action that I just couldn't cut. Oops. Plus, Manna's in this one, sooo... I'll blame her lol. Enjoy :-) ))


"Well, if it isn't my favorite customer!" Kai welcomed the two girls, raising his hands with enthusiasm. "And my favorite farmer!"

Ann and Claire greeted Kai in a messy unison as the door slammed behind them. Their footsteps grew louder as they approached from behind, but I couldn't turn around. I still felt embarrassed by the way I had been leering at Claire earlier, and it didn't help that I could feel my heartbeat pounding in my head.

All I could think about was trying to find a way out of The Snack Shack as soon as possible. Unfortunately, I knew Kai wasn't going to make it easy for me, and I had a hunch that Claire and Ann wouldn't either.

"We were just coming in to see if you were open," Ann started as she got closer to the counter, "but it seems like you already have a customer." When she reached my side, I felt a gentle push on my arm in acknowledgment.

The familiar red braid appeared in my peripheral, so I turned my head. "Yo," I said with a half-hearted nod. Ann returned my greeting with a smile as she stood in front of the register.

When my eyes met with the blonde on the other side of her, my face tightened. Claire wore a grey t-shirt, but I could clearly see her swimsuit's bold red through the lightweight fabric. It was like a reminder of what a piece of shit I was.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Claire," I managed, not waiting for a response before turning back to Kai.

"Well, actually, I'm not open yet," Kai explained as he leaned against the counter towards Ann. He motioned towards my seat, "Gray here was just helping me taste-test a new dish."

"What the heck, Kai?" Ann pouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "I can't believe you'd ask Gray and not me! I thought I was your best customer."

Kai let out a nervous laugh and rubbed the back of his neck, "Aw, come on, Ann, you know you are!" He glanced over to the clock and then back at Ann and Claire with a smile. "You know what, let me make it up to you. I'll open the shack early, just for you two!"

"Really?" Ann grinned, her posture relaxing. "You're the best, Kai!" She turned to Claire, and the two girls exchanged glances briefly before returning to Kai.

"Anything for my best customer," Kai answered with a playful wink. "So what brings you two in today? It's rare that I get you here so close to dinner, Ann."

"I'm treating Ann for her birthday!" I heard Claire's voice announce. She threw her free arm around Ann's shoulder. "We spent the afternoon together exploring and swimming, and then she wanted to come eat here."

"I thought your birthday was yesterday," I blurted without thinking.

Before Ann could open her mouth to answer, Claire spoke again. "Yes, but I couldn't get off yesterday," she said through gritted teeth. I could tell she was trying to sound cheerful. Still, there was a clear edge to her voice that I'd recognized from previous interactions. "So we're celebrating today."

"And, I mean, I'm always game to celebrate my birthday on multiple days!" Ann added with a giggle. "Especially if it involves food!"

"Damn, Ann," Kai said as he leaned his elbows onto the counter, "how'd you get that hard-ass Doug to give you two days off in a row?"

"Well, he didn't exactly give me the day off today," Ann said slowly, running her hand along the length of her braid. "I have to be back for the dinner shift to relieve Cliff."

"Cliff?" Kai and I both questioned in unison. Had we heard her correctly?

Ann nervously laughed and looked down to the floor. "Aha, yeah. Can you believe that Claire convinced Dad to let Cliff cover for me this morning?" She wrung her hands in front of her chest and rocked on her feet. "And can you believe that Cliff actually went along with it?"

"I can!" Claire sang, grabbing Ann's hand and squeezing. "When I told Cliff it was to help you, he instantly agreed! He just wanted you to be able to relax and have fun."

"Nice work, Claire!" Kai added with a thumbs up. "And atta boy, Cliff!"

Ann was visibly flustered at Claire's light teasing, showcasing a certain rosiness in her cheeks that she reserved for only Cliff. "W-well," Ann stammered out, putting a hand on Claire's shoulder, "can you believe Claire's never eaten here before?"

"What?" Kai gasped, the hurt in his voice evident. "The season's almost over too! What the heck, Claire, how is that even possible?"

A series of unintelligible sounds escaped Claire's lips before finally getting out a coherent sentence. "I, uh, I'm sorry, it's not like it was on purpose or anything!" she said, scratching at the collar of her t-shirt. "Ann always talks so highly of your cooking, and I've been meaning to come! I just... always lose track of time, and by the time I realize it, you're closed."

"Too busy working to enjoy some delicious food on the beach?" Kai sighed, shaking his head. "You know what they say, all work and no play—"

"I know, I know," Claire interrupted him, her hand continuing to fidget with the fabric of her shirt. "But I'm here now! What can I say? It's been a busy summer."

Kai smirked, his eyes quickly darting to mine before returning to Claire. "So I've heard."

I felt my jaw clench at Kai's blatant lack of boundaries and glared in his direction. He avoided my eye contact and focused his attention on the two girls like I wasn't even there.

"Well yeah," Claire said, as a matter of fact, unphased by Kai. "Where do you think all your pineapples came from this year?"

Kai's face lit up. "No way!" he said with excitement. "That was you? I was wondering why my stock was so cheap this year."

Claire seemed to match his energy, gripping the counter and nodding her head emphatically.

"Good shit, Claire," Kai praised the blonde. "Really great product this year. They're delicious, honestly. You should be proud!"

"Really?" Claire beamed, clapping her hands in front of her chest. "You think so?"

"I know so! Pineapples are my favorite," he replied with a wide grin. "I wouldn't lie about that. I'll be sure to whip you up something tasty to show you how much I appreciate it!"

Claire placed a hand on Ann's back, "Thanks, but we're just going to get whatever the birthday girl wants today!"

I snorted. Clearly, Claire had no idea what she was getting herself into with an offer like that. "What, so one of everything?" I asked sarcastically, looking over at the two girls.

The farmer narrowed her eyes at me and opened her mouth to speak, only to be eclipsed by Ann's excited voice, "That actually sounds perfect!" She turned to Claire, the energy still evident in her tone, "And then that way, you can try all the things on Kai's menu to make up for lost time!"

Claire looked away from me and back at her friend, all remnants of anger in her face melting away. "That's an amazing idea!" she responded warmly, as if she hadn't been giving me a dirty look ten seconds prior.

What was her deal? And since when were she and Ann so close?

"Alright," Kai chuckled, readjusting his purple bandana, "one of everything? See, this is why you're my favorite, Ann." He grabbed his white apron from where it had been draped over the register and began to tie it around his waist. I noticed he had conveniently left his hoodie unzipped from earlier. "You know what, I'll throw in my newest special, too. It's even got the seal of approval from Gray here." He nodded his head towards me as he spoke, eliciting a few laughs from the girls.

"Wow, it must be really good if even he likes it," Claire said with a smirk, giving me the side-eye.

I glared at the blonde, but she wasn't looking in my direction anymore. "What the hell is that supposed to—"

"I know, right?" Kai spoke over me as if I hadn't said anything at all. "He's actually got surprisingly good taste." His eyes met mine with a grin before looking back at Claire. "I've always had Gray try my food since I first opened up. He's brutally honest, plus he's one of the only people in town that grew up with food from the city, so I value his opinion."

As the girls listened intently to Kai's reminiscing, he headed towards the back of the kitchen to wash his hands. After a few moments of scrubbing, Kai looked back at the pair over his shoulder.

"Huh, actually, now that I think about it, you're from the city too, aren't you, Claire?" Kai pondered out loud. I was sure he already knew the answer to his question, so I didn't understand why he felt the need to bring it up.

"Yep," Claire responded, an uncharacteristically short response for her. When I glanced towards the blonde, her mouth seemed tight, but the emotion on her face was unreadable. I wasn't sure if Kai noticed this or not.

Kai gave his hands a final rinse and dried them off before turning back around to Claire. "Well, city girl, I'll be interested in your opinion then too," he said smoothly, winking in the direction of the blonde.

I was used to Kai shamelessly flirting with everyone around me, but for some reason watching him openly flirt with Claire made me feel...uncomfortable. That feeling just confused me even more; I needed to find a way out, and quickly.

Claire let out an amused snort and shook her head. "Alrighty." She turned to meet my gaze, a strangely familiar coy smile creeping on her lips. "I'll be sure to be brutal," she added before looking back to Kai.

I was surprised when I felt my heartbeat pick up. Was this Claire's attempt at flirting with me? She was glaring at me one moment, smiling at me the next; what was the endgame? Her behavior was so confusing yet so intriguing at the same time. Part of me wanted to figure out why she was acting the way she did…

"So, how much do I owe you?" I heard Claire ask as she approached the register.

I looked away from the scene and reached for my hat with both hands. Claire and Kai went back and forth while I tried to plot a way to escape. Once Kai got cooking, I was sure I could make my exit. He didn't need me around while he worked. If anything, I was a distraction. I'd just have to wait for the perfect opportunity to take my leave without drawing too much attention to myself.

When I noticed the two girls were pulling out chairs at one of the nearby tables, I stood up from my stool. Kai had his back to me, seemingly rummaging for something in the refrigerator. My moment had finally come. Just as I was about to turn and walk away, something Kai yelled across the shack caught my attention.

"Just hang out, and I'll have Gray drop off your food for you!"

I snapped back to the cook, who met my glare with a shrug. "Seriously?" I growled in a low tone. "The fuck, man? I was just about to leave."

Kai didn't look up from the burner he had just ignited, "You have somewhere you need to be?"

"No, but I—"

"Perfect, then you can help me run food," Kai said with a smile, suggesting that I didn't really have a choice anyway. He grabbed a saucepan from the shelves above his stove, placing it on the glowing burner before looking over his shoulder at me. "Come on, I fed you. It's the least you can do for me."

I sighed and sat back down on the stool. "You said that the least I could do was accept that food as payment for your stupid fucking bet."

"You said that you didn't make that bet with me," Kai quipped without looking back. He threw a series of sauces into the pan and gave it a shake before moving over to another station. "I mean, we can discuss the terms of the bet again," he added in a louder voice, causing the two girls to quickly glance over.

"Shut up, idiot," I hissed, leaning my chest over the counter. "I'll help you, just... stop talking about that shit."

"Deal!" Kai chimed as he turned around to face me. He had two colorfully decorated snow cones in each hand, again surprising me with the speed he worked at. "Here, first orders up, sweetheart," he joked before thrusting the two paper cones into each of my hands. "Hurry up, or else they'll melt!"

Reluctantly, I snatched the snowcones and dragged my feet to the table where Claire and Ann sat talking. They were so loud and long-winded it just hurt my head. The two of them seemed to exist on a social frequency that I was simply incapable of.

As I reached their table, I didn't even bother to wait for a lull in their conversation. "Here," I commanded, shoving a cone in either of the girls' faces.

The two stopped and traded amused glances before relieving me of the cones, and I eagerly took the opportunity to leave the area. I could hear a few stifled giggles from the two as I headed towards the counter but ignored them; I just wanted to get it over with.

The pattern carried on for almost an hour, me waiting for Kai to produce a dish, awkwardly delivering it to Claire and Ann, and then returning to the counter to wait for the next one. Somehow, each interaction I had with the pair seemed to be more uncomfortable than the last.

While I tried my best to tune out either of the girls, I wasn't a stranger to the way that their conversations seemed to die down as I got closer. And I definitely wasn't blind to the way Claire had been watching me, smiling at me as I delivered food, looking over her shoulder to sneak glances in my direction as they waited for the next dish. Maybe she was just as excited about the food as Ann was, but it was enough to linger in my thoughts.

Eventually, I returned to Kai, and he had nothing left to give me. I sighed in relief, knowing that I could finally leave my own personal hell.

Kai tore the apron off his body and threw it back on the register as he rounded the counter. He stopped in front of my seat to give me a quick thanks and a pat on the back before dragging an extra chair to Ann and Claire's table.

"So, ladies," I heard Kai say as the chair's legs scraped behind him, "how was everything?"

It seemed like the perfect chance for me to make my exit. I pushed out of the stool once again and bee-lined to the door.

As I turned to say goodbye to Kai, I noticed that he had pulled up the chair next to Claire, almost to the point of touching legs. I tried to make out what the two were saying, but Kai's voice was annoyingly low as he spoke. Something was said about the standards of the food, and I brushed it off. I wasn't sure why I was even interested in eavesdropping on them in the first place, but Kai was clearly too occupied to care that I was leaving.

"Gray!" I heard Ann call as I reached for the door. It always had to be something. She shot out of her seat and stood by the table as she waited for my response. When I looked over my shoulder and gave her a nod, she continued, "Are you headed home right now?"

"Yeah, why?" I asked, trying to hide the annoyance in my voice. All I wanted was to leave. Why was everybody in this fucking shack so hell-bent on stopping me?

Ann ran over to the middle of her seated friends and gave them a quick hug before hightailing it towards me. She noticed the confused expression on my face and motioned towards the door, "I have to get back to work, so I thought we could walk together."

I opened the door for Ann, who called one final goodbye to Claire and Kai. The two looked over their shoulders to give us both a wave and then returned to their conversation. I didn't really care what they were talking about, but based on the way Kai was grinning as Claire twirled her hair and laughed… I had my guesses. My main concern, though, was why leaving Claire here with Kai made me so nervous.

I realized Ann was outside on the patio, waiting for me, and quickly tore my eyes away from the scene. Feeling even more ashamed than I had earlier, I picked up my pace and followed Ann off the beach.

As the two of us reached Rose Square, I gazed back up at the sky, which had adopted an evening shade of cerulean. I was relieved to finally be out of that uncomfortable situation. But even still, the range of emotions that I'd experienced at the beach left me feeling so fucking confused.

"Hey," Ann began, breaking my train of thought, "so… you're a guy."

"Thanks for finally noticing," I deadpanned as we walked up the concrete stairs from the beach.

She huffed and continued climbing the steps behind me. "I just thought… I mean, can I ask you something? Like as a guy?"

I stepped into the cobblestone square and looked over my shoulder at the redhead, "Sure? I don't know if that's ever stopped you before."

Ann was silent as she caught up with me, matching my steps as we walked through the square. "I was just wondering, like as a guy…" she trailed off before unexpectedly hitting my arm.

"Ow! What the fuck was that for?" I growled, scowling down at Ann. Her eyes were wide, and her face unexpectedly rigid, only puzzling me further.

"Don't look," Ann whispered as we walked towards the northern exit to Rose Square, "but Gossip Squad, two o'clock."

Sure enough, as I raised my head, I noticed the group of middle-aged women sitting on a bench in the northeast corner of the square. I could tell by how Manna glanced at me and then excitedly turned back to Anna and Sasha that they had been talking about me. Fuck.

Terrified of what might happen next, I pulled my hat over my face and picked up the pace. I had done so well avoiding the instigators of gossip; I didn't want to slip up now.

"Stupid!" Ann hissed, trying her best to keep up with my strides. "I told you not to look, now look what you did!"

"Oh, Gray!" I heard Manna call. I tried my best to avoid reacting to my name and failed miserably.

I turned my head and gave a polite wave before looking back down at Ann, who just shook her head in disapproval.

"Please do come over for just a second, if you don't mind," I heard Manna call again. I tried to remain collected on the outside, but inside, I was losing my shit. Manna would only talk to me when she wanted information, so what did she know?

I stopped and let out a sigh. Ann looked back at me with a sympathetic smile and shrugged. "Sorry, I gotta get back to work. You're on your own with this one." She gave a friendly wave in the direction of the women before skipping towards the inn.

I'd never been so envious of somebody on their way to work.

As I stood in the square by myself, I contemplated my next move. I thought about running, but not going over there was even more suspicious. Gramps would also probably rip me a new one if he heard I was disrespecting elders in town. So despite the nagging in my head telling me otherwise, I swallowed my pride and trudged over to the giddy group of women.

Manna hopped off the bench and took a few steps forward to meet me in the square. I was thankful for the extra space between Anna and me, but even still, I was way too close for comfort.

"Yeah?" I asked flatly, avoiding eye contact with the group. I had a feeling this wasn't going to be a fun conversation.

"How are you today?" Manna smiled as if this were an everyday conversation between the two of us. She didn't wait for my response before continuing, "I assume you're off work by now, yeah? It's been such a beautiful day today… it'd be such a shame to let a day like this go to waste, don't you agree? Especially since the cold weather is on its way…"

"I'm fine," I replied curtly, tugging at my hat. "I'm kind of in a hurry… so is there something you need?"

"Oh yes, yes, how could I forget," Manna said as she waved her hands about. "I just wanted to ask you something... which I hope isn't too forward. I know we don't get to chat that often, but I thought I might as well ask you. But—"

"Well, get after it then," I interrupted her ramblings. I took a deep breath in anticipation of Manna's question, hoping that she wouldn't mention Claire's name.

"Of course, how silly of me," Manna laughed, smoothing out the skirt of her dress. "So, I was just wondering, is it true what I hear about you and Mary? You two aren't seeing each other anymore?"

A wave of relief rushed over me as I heard Mary's name and not the farmer's. The comfort disappeared just as quickly as it had arrived once I remembered that I was still captive in conversation with Manna, and by extension, Anna.

"It's just what I heard around town," Manna continued, tucking a short piece of black hair behind her ear. "And you know you can never trust what you hear around these parts… that kind of gossip just travels like wildfire. I just figured I'd ask 'cause, I mean, usually you'd be leaving the library this time of day, and you're clearly not…"

I huffed in response to her monologue. I was relieved that the blonde wasn't the topic of conversation, yet still annoyed that I had to talk about my relationship with Mary... in front of Mary's mom and all her friends.

"I guess we're not anymore," I answered softly, pulling my cap lower. It hurt a little to say out loud, more than I thought it would.

This feeling must have been apparent in my face because Manna's tone changed to an apologetic one. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Gray. I didn't know it was such a difficult subject for you. I feel horrible now." Something told me she didn't actually feel that bad for asking me, but I held my tongue. "If you ever need to talk, you know where to find me."

In my head, I mocked the idea of Manna being the one I would seek out for a heart-to-heart. Outwardly, I just nodded politely and turned to walk away.

The ladies' chatting picked up as I followed the path north to the inn. I knew Manna just wanted to ask me about Mary because Anna wanted the intel. Anna was in the dining room during our fight, so I knew she wasn't completely oblivious to the situation. But knowing Mary, she wouldn't divulge any of the details to her mother. Anna would have to take matters into her own hands if she wanted more information, as she often did. It wasn't my problem anymore, though, and I couldn't care less who knew.

When I finally reached the inn's safety, I searched through the few scattered regulars in the dining room. I noticed Ann cleaning behind the bar, so I headed over to rip her a new one for abandoning me. After a few moments, she finally registered me standing there.

"Well, look who it is!" Ann chirped as she flipped her long red braid over her shoulder. "How was your chit-chat with the gals?"

I rolled my eyes and took a seat at the bar in front of her. "First of all, fuck you for leaving me."

Ann laughed, putting her free hand on her hip and waving a wet dishrag in her hand, "Like I said, I had to get to work."

"Yeah," I snorted, "and you sure do look busy. How about getting me an ale for making me deal with that shit?"

Ann didn't respond but dropped the rag on the counter and waltzed to the tap. She filled up a glass and silently set it in front of me before resuming her task.

I enjoyed the few minutes of silence while I sipped my well-deserved beer, then remembered Ann's question before the whole ordeal had taken place.

I set the glass down and looked back at the waitress. "You had a question for me? As a guy?"

Ann stopped mid wipe and looked up at me, a light blush crawling up her face. "O-oh!" she stuttered. "Yeah, hah, I almost forgot about that."

"Well?"

"I… uh was just wondering, like, as a guy, do you… talk about girls?" Ann asked slowly as she nervously played with the wet rag in front of her. "Like, with other guys?"

I wasn't quite sure what Ann was getting at, but I figured it had to be Cliff-related just by how she fumbled over her thoughts.

I shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Probably not to the extent that you girls do, but… sometimes." I took another sip of my beer. "Why, what do you want to know?"

Her eyes widened at my question. The blush that had appeared earlier now dominated her entire face. "Has um…" she gave a quick scan around the bar and then leaned closer to me, her voice almost at a whisper. "Has Cliff said anything to you about the Fireworks Festival? Like… if he's going to ask anybody?"

I was at a standstill. I felt a sense of loyalty towards Ann, but I wasn't sure if telling her that Cliff wanted to ask her would breach his trust or help their situation.

"He may have said something…" I said with a smirk, entertained by how worked up Ann was getting. I couldn't help but laugh at the redhead's behavior. "Why? You waitin' on him to ask you or something?"

"I mean…I hope," Ann mumbled, wringing the rag nervously between her hands.

"He seriously hasn't said anything to you about it?" I inquired between sips of beer, raising my eyebrows.

"No, nothing! He's just… so shy around me sometimes!" she groaned, throwing her hands dramatically in the air. The rag slapped on the bartop as it dropped from her hand. "Ugh, listen to what happened earlier."

I nodded, knowing she was planning on telling me whether I wanted to hear or not.

"When I got back, I was trying to find Cliff so that I could thank him," Ann started with a purpose. She placed her hand on the counter and looked directly at me, "and he'd made me dinner for my birthday, Gray. He made me dinner. I didn't even know that he cooked!"

"How the hell were you still hungry enough to eat dinner?"

Ann rolled her eyes and let out a huff as she leaned herself against the bar. "Anyway, I hugged him and was trying to tell him how much I appreciated him, because like, that's so sweet! But then he got all quiet and literally ran out of the kitchen. Ran!"

"Hah, I think you just surprised him," I replied with a chuckle. "That's all."

"Gray, I really like him." Ann let out a deep sigh and threw her face in her hands. "And when he's all shy like that, it just makes me even more nervous!"

I stared at the exasperated waitress for a few moments, thinking of how I could help the poor girl. It was apparent that she and Cliff felt the same way about each other, and they just needed a push.

"You should just ask him," I suggested casually.

Ann looked from her hands and cocked an eyebrow at me. "What?" she asked incredulously. "I don't know if it works like that." She paused, then spoke softly, "Plus, he'd think I'm weird, wouldn't he?"

"Nah, I'd think it'd be cool if a girl asked me," I replied honestly. After pining over Mary one-sidedly for so long, the idea of a woman pursuing me for a change seemed refreshing. "Think about it. You have time."

"Hmmm, I see," Ann mused, thoughtfully bringing her index finger to her lip. "Well, thanks for the advice, I guess."

I nodded, looking around the dining room for any of our friends.

Ann noticed me do this. "So now that you and Mary are done, have you thought much about which lucky lady you wanna take to the festival?" she asked nonchalantly, picking up the rag.

"Ha, if I even go," I scoffed, taking the last sip of my drink. While I loved watching the show each year, surrounding myself with couples and potentially seeing Mary didn't sound too appealing.

"Gray!" Ann yelled, whipping me on the arm with the rag. I instinctually covered where she'd lashed me. "You can't just… not go. It definitely doesn't work like that."

"Uh, yeah, it does work like that," I said with a little more force. "I just stay at home and get drunk instead of going."

Ann rolled her eyes. "I'm definitely not letting you do that. You have to go… you can hang out with Cliff and me!" This seemed to ignite an idea in her because her face lit up. "Actually, that's perfect. If you come with, it'll be a lot less pressure for both of us!"

"As much as I'd love to be your third wheel," I said sarcastically, "it's going to be a no from me."

Ann put her hands on her hips and shot me an icy glare. "Then stop being so difficult and bring someone!" she retorted. "Even if it's just one of our friends. A friendly double date, no pressure!"

"Like who? Karen's going with Rick, Popuri won't go with anybody but Kai, you're asking Cliff," I argued back. "There's nobody else."

"Take Claire," she said simply, wasting no time with her reply.

"No. Hard pass."

"Why not?" she whined. "You two seem to get along well enough. Plus, she's cute, funny..." Ann looked to see if I had non-verbally agreed with anything she said. When I remained stoic, she sighed again. "You should just bring her. It's her first Fireworks Festival. Be a good friend!"

I felt my lips tighten as I tried to think of the best response. Ann had always been a good friend to me since I moved in years ago. Admittedly, she was partially obligated to since we were family, but I knew that wasn't always enough for some people. I appreciated how she had looked out for me and helped ease my transition to town. However, during my occupancy at the inn, Ann had also learned how to push the fuck out of my buttons, and she seemed to enjoy doing it.

"We barely know each other," I said in protest, giving my best attempt to seem unbothered by the suggestion. I had promised Claire I wouldn't tell anyone about our hook up and I didn't want to slip up any more than I had already. "We only see each other because you and Karen always invite her to shit."

Ann smirked as she resumed wiping down the bartop. "That's not what I hear," she teased in a sing-song voice.

My heart dropped. I felt my eye twitch as my body tensed up. "W-what?" I uttered in complete shock. She knows?

"I'm not an idiot," Ann said mischievously. "Cliff and I watched you two leave Kai's together that night." She looked back at the bar and laughed to herself. "Plus, I saw the way you two were eyeing each other earlier, don't even try and deny it!"

I brought my hand to my temples and rubbed small circles. "Don't you dare tell anybody."

"I won't, I won't," she assured me, waving her hands. "I'm Claire's friend too, remember? I wouldn't want to do anything to make her look bad, especially if she's new here."

She's been here a whole season and a half, I wanted to say so badly, but I held it in.

"Wait…" I said, finally processing the rest of Ann's statement. "What do you mean, 'make her look bad'? What does that have to do with making her look ba—"

"So, that's a yes?" Ann interjected, completely ignoring my question. She was putting away glassware in the barback cabinet as she looked over her shoulder at me.

I swallowed the growing frustration in my chest. "I said that I don't even know if I'm going," I replied coldly. " You can invite Claire along with you guys, and if I show up, I show up." I crossed my arms over my chest. "But let's get it straight; I'm not asking her, and it's not a date."

Ann huffed, and if she had been facing me, I'm sure it would have been paired with an eye roll. "You're so difficult!" she called over her shoulder. "This is your chance at Claire before any other guys swoop her up, but nooo."

"Everyone here is basically taken," I grumbled. "Who else could come 'swoop her up' ?"

Ann turned around with a few clean wine glasses laced between her fingers, an entertained look on her face. "Are you jealous?" she asked, noticing the blush settling on my cheeks as she spoke. "I mean, she's inevitably gonna get attention from guys in the neighboring towns too… I mean, Forget-Me-Not Valley is just on the other side of Mother's Hill, walking distance, really. I wonder how long it will take—"

"I'm not jealous, just curious!" I defended, almost a little too loudly. I wasn't sure where the anger was coming from, but it sure as hell wasn't jealousy.

"Okay, well, I'll see you at the festival then," Ann smiled as she arranged the wine glasses in the cabinet behind her.

"Ann, stop, it's not like that—"

"Ann!" Doug called from behind the register. He cocked his head to signal Ann to the dining room.

Ann nodded and rounded the bar so that she was standing next to my seat. She flashed me an impish grin, playfully pushing down the bill of my cap. "It'll be fun, I promise," she said as she sauntered off.

I fixed my hat and rolled my eyes, hoping they were still attached to my head at this point.

Ann seemed to have something up her sleeve, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to know what it was. Either way, I had a lot to figure out before next week.


((Hehe sorry to anybody that thought you were going to see Mary in this chap. I promise, she's coming! And there will be drama. Oh yes, there will in fact be drama. I'm over here just trying to contain myself for the next chapter because oof.

Anyway. Just wanted to say thank you to those of you reading! I appreciate the feedback more than ya'll know. It's super cool to feel validated for creating something that I literally do for my own entertainment, so thanks :-)