Stay Sweet(73)

“That’s what I tried to tell him. And then . . . we kind of got into a big fight.”

“How big?”

“Huge.” He drops onto the couch and stares at the ceiling. “I used to look up to my dad so much. I’d do anything to please him. But now I’m scared that I’m going to turn into him.” He swallows and then turns his head to look at Amelia. “I actually said that to him.”

Amelia’s eyes go wide. “What did he say?”

“Nothing. He hung up on me.”

*

Amelia can’t get it off her mind for the rest of the day. The idea that Grady’s dad would erase the best thing about Meade Creamery to make a few extra dollars. Thank God Grady drew a line in the sand. But she’s no fool. She knows Grady’s dad has the power here. Grady’s Truman tuition is hanging in the balance.

Would Grady’s dad really sacrifice his son’s future to make a point?

Or maybe he secretly wants Meade Creamery to go out of business for the same reason his son wants to keep it open.

Grady’s mother.





CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE


THE NEXT TIME CATE DOES the schedule, she gives herself and Amelia the same day off. “Now don’t you think newbies were a good idea?” she says, knocking into her.

“Yes.”

The plan is to go shopping at the mall. Get some dorm essentials.

Amelia gets out of the shower and sees a text from Grady.

I miss seeing you this morning. Boo for days off.

Yay for days off! she writes back. I’m in real clothes!

I wanna see. he writes. And then, quickly, adds, Not in a creepy way!

Amelia takes a selfie in her baby blue off-the-shoulder peasant dress, blooming with hundreds of tiny embroidered red roses.

Man, you so cute. Aren’t you going to ask what I’m wearing?

Amelia grins and types. Is it a blazer?

Grady sends back a photo of himself . . . in a pink Meade Creamery polo. Amelia doubles over laughing.

Take that off, imposter!

I’ll do whatever it takes to take you out on a date, Amelia. For real.

And then her phone starts buzzing nonstop.

Will you please go on a date with me?

Will you please go on a date with me?

Will you please go on a date with me?

Grinning, she puts her phone on silent. Would this be how they’d do it, if they tried long distance? There might be something nice about it. She’d get her space and have a boyfriend, too. The distance almost takes the pressure off, in a way.

But what to tell Cate?

The truth, obviously. She must tell her the truth. Sooner rather than later.

She goes downstairs to eat a quick bowl of cereal. Cate’s supposed to pick her up in fifteen minutes. She finds her parents waiting for her in the kitchen.

“Can I borrow a credit card? I’m going dorm shopping with Cate.”

“Amelia, we need to talk,” her dad says soberly.

“Okay.” She slides into her seat.

Her parents share uncomfortable looks with each other, like neither one wants to go first.

“You guys are scaring me.”

Her mom places her palms down on the table. “We stopped by the stand yesterday for an ice cream.”

“You did?”

“We were hoping we’d surprise you. But . . .”

“What?” She thinks they’re going to say something about her being up at the farmhouse with Grady. Or, even worse, about the ice cream not tasting right. She takes a taste of every batch, to make sure it turned out okay, but maybe she missed one. Sometimes it is hard to concentrate, with Grady around.

“The service was . . . bad,” her dad says with a heavy sigh. “Bad, Amelia. It was as if the girls didn’t care anymore. I couldn’t believe it. The lines were so long, but they didn’t move like normal. And the girls seemed distracted, talking to each other and joking around. I know you girls have a good time there, but it was like we were an afterthought.”

“We waited at the window for a good five minutes while the girls inside finished up a conversation with each other.”

“Oh.”

Mom says, “And I mentioned something at the bank and . . . well, our experience isn’t an isolated one.”

And Dad adds, “We thought we should tell you, since you are Head Girl.”

“I’m actually . . .” Amelia pauses. “Cate’s taken control of things down at the stand.”

“Oh. Okay. Well, then maybe check in with her. She probably has no idea. It could be girls slacking off when she’s not around.”

Or, Amelia thinks, it could be the fresh start Cate talked about.

Either way, it’s not exactly a conversation she’s excited to have. But better Amelia bring it up than Grady. If he did, Cate might just quit. And Amelia can see a scenario where the rest of the girls follow her out the door.





CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX


AMELIA USED TO THINK THE mall just outside Sand Lake was enormous. It definitely seemed huge when she was a kid and she used to get her annual picture taken on Santa’s lap. But over the years, it’s as if the place has shrunk.

There are just enough stores to do a halfway decent back-to-school shopping trip: a Gap, a Macy’s, a Victoria’s Secret, a Sephora. But most girls in their senior class ordered their prom dresses online.