The Holloway Girls by Susan Bishop Crispell

Author:Susan Bishop Crispell
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2022-04-12T00:00:00+00:00

19

While Maggie doesn’t agree with my decision to keep far away from Tobin—and everyone else—as long as Isaac is still cursed, at least she’s respecting it. I can’t say the same for Tobin and Juliet. And because there are two of them, they can coordinate their attacks. Twice the ammunition, double the effectiveness.

Tobin seems to have gotten over me refusing to kiss him. Within a day, he’s back to trying to be my friend. All hurt feelings either forgotten or brushed aside.

He texts me in the mornings to see if I want to hang out or to ask if I have any “scratch and dent” whoopie pies he can take off my hands. He’s not deterred by the one-sidedness of the conversations. Juliet calls to see if I want to go to one of the less populated waterfalls. Sometimes it’s just her, but usually she has Maggie or Tobin lined up to go too. “Safety in numbers,” she says. And I have to laugh. But I still don’t agree to go. They both show up after dinners, finding me in the baking kitchen or letting themselves into the house and waving hello to my parents on their way up to my room where they barely knock on the door before pushing it open and inviting me out for end-of-summer shenanigans. Maggie goes with them every time. I lock the door behind them and then force myself to not watch out the window as they leave without me.

It’s gone on this way for the past week, so I’m not surprised when Tobin and Juliet walk into Bold Rock Outfitters where I’m filling in for the day because one of Dad’s employees called in sick—and I’m cheap labor. Maggie, this time, isn’t with them, but it takes one look at their outfits to know why she’s letting them do this without her. Juliet’s in layered tank tops, a pair of hot-pink crop leggings, and running shoes. Tobin’s as close to workout gear as he gets: a cotton shirt and khaki cargo shorts. And they’re both wearing smug smiles as they walk toward where I stand at the base of the climbing wall.

“You know, you showing up like this after I’ve said I’m not available for lunch makes it damn near impossible to avoid you,” I say.

Tobin grins. “You admit it, then?”

“That I’m avoiding you? I thought that was obvious.”

Juliet pulls her braid over her shoulder and rubs the stubby end over her cheek. “But I thought we were all going to be friends?”

“I never agreed to that,” I say.

Tobin wraps his fingers around the back of his neck, locking his eyes on mine as he says, “Oh, c’mon. We’re not that bad.”

“Don’t take it personally. I don’t want to be friends with anyone right now. Come back in ten or so months when everything’s died down. You might be able to change my mind then.” Even Laurel seems to have come to the same conclusion because since I told her about Maggie and Juliet she’s gone quiet on me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.