Still The One - Carrie Elks Page 0,21
that bordered the water’s edge, it was dominated by the richer townfolk.
Zoe was buzzing like a firefly next to Van as they unloaded the trunk of Van’s car. Two fold up chairs she’d bought from the local hardware store, a pitcher of lemonade that definitely wasn’t made at home, and an assortment of cakes from the bakery, because Van was no culinary expert. She could probably burn water if she tried hard enough.
“There are my friends,” Zoe said, her face lighting up as she pointed at the group of kids playing on the far side of the lawns. “Can I go join them?”
“Sure. Put the pitcher on the table.” Van nodded, watching as Zoe skipped happily over to the large group of tables nestled together in the middle of everything. They were overflowing with food and drink. Van followed behind, and busied herself arranging the cakes she’d bought, because it was so much easier than walking over to a group and asking if she could sit with them.
“You came. I didn’t think you would.” Becca Hartson smiled shyly at Van from the other side of the heaving tables. “I’m so pleased you did, though. Not least because Tanner owes me ten dollars.”
“He bet that I wouldn’t come?” Van asked, ignoring the stupid way her heart sped up at his name.
Becca smiled. “He said you refused to show your face at Chairs again after the time you sprinkled laxatives on Mrs. Olsen’s brownies, and Tanner forced one into your mouth.”
Van grimaced. “I’d completely forgotten about that.” She looked at the cakes she’d beautifully arranged and grinned at Becca. “I promise I haven’t spiked these ones.”
“That’s a shame.” Becca’s eyes twinkled. “It would have livened things up.” She glanced over her shoulder. “You want to come and sit with us?”
“I’d love to.” Van followed Becca to a group of ten chairs clustered beside the creek. As she sat down, she could hear a loud voice from a group of old ladies call out.
“Is that the Butler girl?”
“I think so.”
“I didn’t know she was back. She sure looks like her mom.”
Van straightened her spine, and made sure she smiled over in their direction.
“Yeah, I hear her husband left her for another woman.”
“The Butler girl?”
“No, her mom, silly. Anyway, probably want to avoid the brownies tonight. Just in case she’s up to her old tricks.”
A few of them laughed. Van sighed and turned her back on them.
“So this is Maddie. You might remember her?” Becca said, pointing at a pretty brunette sitting in the chair next to hers.
Van didn’t, but she remembered what Regan had told her in the café. Maddie was Ashleigh Clark’s sister. She remembered Ashleigh from when she was dating Gray, back when he was in high school. Van had never really liked her. Tanner hadn’t either. The girl had had a mean streak that could cut like a knife.
“Hi, Maddie,” Van said, reaching forward to shake her hand.
Maddie grinned happily at her. “You probably don’t remember me. But I remember you. I loved hearing about your and Tanner’s escapades when I was little.”
Van felt herself relax. “I guess my reputation precedes me.”
Maddie laughed. “Ah, I wanted to be just like you when I grew up. Except I was too scared of getting in trouble.”
“You wouldn’t believe how freeing it is to not give a damn,” Van told her. “You should try it.”
“I can’t wait to tell Gray I met you,” Maddie told her. “He told me about the time you restrung his guitar right before his first concert at Murphy’s.”
“Oh no.” Van covered her face with her hands. “That one was all Tanner’s idea.”
“Oh, he knows that. He’ll still be happy to hear I’ve met you. I think he has a soft spot for you.”
“All my brothers loved Van,” Becca said, grinning. “She took the heat off them, and that’s saying something.”
Van smiled at the memories of the Hartson brothers, all around the kitchen table, bickering as they shoveled food into their mouths. Gray who was either humming a song or arguing with his dad. Cam who would run home from football practice and eat everything in sight. Logan who had the best way of talking to you, so you ended up spilling your guts to him without even noticing.
And then there was Tanner. Her best friend. He’d start a sentence and she’d end it, then they’d both collapse into laughter.
“Don’t believe her,” Van told Maddie. “They were all much worse than me.”
“Savannah,” a voice called out, making Van turn