“Uh huh, sure. Where is Jewel, anyway?”
“Spring concert is tonight. I imagine she’s setting up for it.”
Eli’s eyes widened. “On Thursday night bowling night? How dare she schedule it for that day.”
“She didn’t have a choice.” Azalea sipped more of her tea, relishing the warmth it brought her bones. It had been a short semester, but at the same time, it seemed as though it had taken forever to get to the end of the school year. She was looking forward to spending one-on-one time with Jewel in a less stressed situation, when they had more flexible and free time for eight weeks during the summer. She’d already booked them in for a week at Indigo, this time purposely choosing one room. She planned on surprising Jewel with it after the concert when they had their first real date.
“Are you going?”
“Hmm?” It took Azalea a moment to remember what they were talking about. “Oh, yes. I already told Jean I wouldn’t be there tonight.”
“Brave of you to ditch bowling for the girlfriend no one knows you have.”
Azalea’s cheeks heated, and she deliberately finished her tea before she responded. “Now why would you think no one knows? You certainly know.”
“I’m special.” Eli gave her a cocky grin.
“That you are. But at the same time, those rumors started somewhere, and it’s not as though they’re untrue.”
That side-eye look from Eli was back. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?”
“You know a few misplaced words can be so variously interpreted—correctly or incorrectly—in a town like this. You never know what will get out from an innocent conversation. More tea?”
“Uh-uh! Don’t change the subject now. Who did you tell?”
“I told absolutely no one, Eli. Really, I thought you knew better of me.”
“I thought I did, too! Now I’m not so sure. Did you really start these rumors?”
Azalea shrugged. “Why not use it to my advantage?”
“Oh my God. You didn’t!”
“Your mother would be so proud of me.”
Eli snorted, her tea coming out of her nose before she could catch it. In seconds she was wiping at her eyes and her face, shaking her head the entire time. “You did not—”
“Your mother is known throughout the county for stopping rumors and using them to her advantage. You know that.”
“But still…”
“Still what? She’d be proud. Nothing else.”
“You’re crazy.”
“You always knew that. Are you going to the concert tonight?”
“No, absolutely not. I’m going home, and I’m going to sulk in my own self-pity and isolation. Then I’ll get up in the morning with the cows and go on like any other day.”
Azalea gave Eli a sad look. She did not envy that part of her relationship. She’d done the distance thing a time or two in the intervening years since she had moved there, and it never fully appealed to her. Quite possibly also part of the reason why all those relationships had failed miserably. In the end, she knew Eli and Sarah would be stronger for it.
Checking her watch, she noted it was nearing six, and the concert started in thirty minutes. “Well, I should get going if I’m showing up.”
“Are you going to give her flowers at the end?” Eli nodded toward the vase on the table.
“Maybe.” Azalea flushed. “I did have quite the evening planned for us. Jewel says her adrenaline always goes so much that she can’t calm down for hours.”
Eli nearly choked again. “We have got to get her and Sarah together in the same room. Sarah is the same way. And trust me, nights after the concert are quite an adventure.”