Straight Up Love (The Boys of Jackson Harbor #2)(11)

Trying and failing.

“Your priority isn’t having a baby,” she says.

“Actually, it is.” Did she miss my whole explanation yesterday morning about how a child is the one thing I’m sure I want from my life? In retrospect, I went about this all wrong. Instead of announcing my plan to my friends, I should have kept the news to myself until the pregnancy test was positive. I don’t even know if I can get pregnant.

“No. It’s not a baby that you want. It’s a family.” She bites her bottom lip. “You can make a family in lots of ways, but I don’t want to see you struggle the way my mom did. It’s hard doing it on your own.”

My mom was single most of my childhood too, but I know what Ellie means. My dad might not have lived at home, but he was still around, and I know our financial situation would have been completely different without him. When I was a kid, Mom was a secretary at a construction company. She didn’t finish her Ph.D. or get her first tenure-track position until I was a junior in high school.

“It can’t hurt to give Straight Up Casual a shot—even if it’s not love, it could be fun. I bought you ten matches.”

My jaw drops. “Ten? Jesus, Ellie, I don’t think there are ten single guys in this town I’d be willing to date.”

“And that attitude is exactly why you’re still single.”

“Okay, for argument’s sake, let’s pretend there are ten guys right here in Jackson Harbor I’d be interested in. I suck at dating,” I say. Ellie knows this. She’s seen the disaster that has been my love life since my divorce.

“That’s why I hired Straight Up Casual to help. They have a way of finding people their matches, and you deserve oodles of fun dates, and if they’re all duds, I’ll personally squirt the spooge up your hoo-ha. You have my word.”

I make a face. “Thanks for the offer, but I think I’ll pass.”

She laughs. “You know what I mean. I’ll support you in any way you need.”

“Thank you,” I say softly.

“So the dates?”

“I’ll think about it.” I want to mean it, but I’m already thinking of calling the company and asking about transferring the dates to someone else. Teagan might be interested. She’s always complaining about how hard it is to find decent single guys in Jackson Harbor, but I don’t think she’s given up on love like I have.

“Yay!” Ellie stretches her arms overhead in victory. “Now, let’s go to Ooh La La! so I can buy you a piece of birthday cake.”





Ava


Everyone knows that the best place to go for coffee in Jackson Harbor is also the best place to satisfy your sweet tooth. Ooh La La! is a coffee shop and confectionary just a block down from Jackson Brews, and also the place Ellie and I became best friends. Two years ago, after she and Colton started dating, she insisted we meet for coffee. At the time, I was in the early stages of my divorce, and I quickly discovered that I needed a girlfriend I could share my heartache with—it didn’t feel right dumping everything on Jake. It turned out Ellie was a great listener, and our friendship blossomed.

The offerings here are so delicious that I have to restrict my visits to once a week. Not only would daily gourmet coffee and a pastry blow my waistline, I simply don’t have room in my budget for such habits, but I figure I can make an exception for my birthday.

“Happy birthday,” Star calls from behind the counter. She owns this place and is responsible for the delicious offerings behind the glass. From handmade chocolates to melt-in-your-mouth croissants to the perfect cup of coffee, Star knows how to make the good stuff. “Did you have fun last night?”

I nod. “Maybe a little too much fun.” I rub my forehead. My headache’s mostly gone now, but the reminder that I overindulged still lingers in the background.

“Nothing a little caffeine and sugar can’t cure.” Star grins, tucking a lock of her curly red hair behind her ear.

Ellie walks up to the glass case and scans the contents. “What kind of cupcakes do you have today? My birthday girl needs a treat.”

Star puts her finger to her lips. “Not much up here but the double-chocolate fudge.”

Ellie gasps. “How dare you speak of anything double-chocolate as not much.”

“It’s not special enough,” Star says. “I’m working on samples for a bride who’s coming in tomorrow, so I might have some options back there. Lance, get their drinks while I’m gone. It’s on the house for Ava’s birthday.”

The lanky teenager nods glumly, as if she just informed him that our drinks were coming out of his paycheck. That’s Lance, though. I know him from my drama club, and he’s one of those kids who takes the Eeyore approach to life—always looking for the gray, cloudy lining to any situation.

“What do you want to drink?” Ellie asks. “I think we should get something really indulgent. Like something with full-fat milk and sugary syrup.”

“What do you recommend, Lance?” I ask.

He shrugs. “I don’t like coffee.”

Ellie rolls her eyes. “How about two of the turtle sundae lattes?”

Lance nods. “Happy birthday, Miss McKinley,” he says, then turns to make our drinks.

Ellie and I flash a grin at each other. Lance might not mean to, but he makes us giggle.