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Homesick For Paris
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All Grown Up Contract
JesseI frowned as I scrounged around on Joe’s desk for something that I could open a box with. Unlike my desk, which was neat and tidy, always organized to perfection, he seemed to keep pretty much everything out where he could see it. He claimed he knew exactly where everything was at any given time. That didn’t help when he was out front with a customer and I was trying to open up the boxes with the new equipment that we’d received that morning.Finally, I gave it up as a lost cause and headed for my own office to grab my box cutter, grumbling under my breath as I went. Should’ve just had the boxes delivered straight to my office, but Joe had been the one in the back at the time that the delivery came in, while I tried to explain more of the opening procedures to Chance before he left for the day, since he was only part-time on Tuesdays.The kid still wasn’t getting the opening procedures, but he had made a little progress in checking out customers, getting more efficient all the t
All Grown Up Pizza and a Movie
AudreyAnnabelle hopped up on one of the seats at the counter of the pizza place, drumming her fingers against the red countertop as we waited for our pizzas to be ready. Dino’s was the same as it had ever been. I was surprised to hear that they still didn’t deliver but only offered take-out pizzas. Same as it had ever been. I shook my head. North Carolina had barely changed since I had left it. Yet again, I felt hopelessly adrift, like I had far outpaced this town and everyone in it.I considered Annabelle for a moment. She seemed happy here. Oh, I knew she had talked about getting out and going somewhere else. She wasn’t planning on staying in Aberdeen forever. It was why she had two jobs and was living at home, after all: so that she could save up the money that she needed to get a fresh start somewhere else. All the same, she didn’t seem like she was unhappy. She somehow managed to make things work, even while she was dreaming of getting away.Could I ever be like that? Settle in
All Grown Up Catching Up with Sis
AudreyI bit my lower lip. “Isn’t it kind of weird to you that Clayton moved in so soon after he met Mom?” I asked, unable to help myself. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Clayton, I was just still trying to figure out how to act around him, and he was pretty much always there. Including at these family nights, which used to just be about the three of us.I guess that was one thing that had changed around here, but it was a change that left me feeling even more uncomfortable and out of place.Annabelle pursed her lips as she considered that. Then she shrugged. “I don’t know,” she said. “Mom really seems head over heels for him. That’s a good thing for her, too. It’s about time she found someone who could keep up with her.” She grinned at me, but then looked considering again. “You haven’t seen her the past few years. It’s been tough.”I frowned. “I’ve seen her,” I said defensively. “She’s come out to Paris a couple of times, and we did that tour of Australia together. Oh, and London. Reme
All Grown Up Not What We Ordered
AudreyIt wasn’t like I didn’t want to keep in contact with Annabelle while I was gone, or that I didn’t think that she had anything interesting to talk about from here in North Carolina. I just didn’t have time for anything other than dance.That was the way that it had always been, and that was probably the way that it would always be.I sighed just thinking about it, and Annabelle quirked an eyebrow at me. I shook my head. “Just thinking about that musical again,” I lied, and she laughed. I forced myself to grin and turned my thoughts away from Paris.I wanted to go back home, I really did. It was just that the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I felt here, and the more I sort of liked the options that I had. There were certain freedoms that I had here that I would never have in the strict routine that I kept in Paris. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it would be a process to give them up again, and it had me feeling uncomfortable and out of place even thinking
All Grown Up Wildflowers
JesseI tried not to be too nervous as I turned into the driveway of the Buchanan family home on Saturday evening. I probably should have called, but anyway, I knew that she and I were at least sort of on the same page. Just enjoying the time that we had together before she went back to Paris. Wasn’t that was this was all about?I knew that my plans for the night weren’t strictly what she had had in mind when she had said that. They were a little too lovey-dovey. At the same time, though, I didn’t think she would be complaining.Although there was definitely a reason I hadn’t called her and asked. I didn’t want to give her a chance to tell me no.I had been thinking about Audrey all day, almost to the point of distraction. Joe had noticed if the sly grins that he kept giving me were any indication. But who cared? Let him think what he wanted. I was sure he would be just as idiotic if he found himself falling for someone.Falling for someone. There was no doubt in my mind anymore. Even
All Grown Up The Most of It
JesseI pushed those thoughts out of my head before they could get too steamy. I wanted tonight to be perfect, and that meant that that sort of thing would have to wait.Not least of which because Annabelle was still there in the house with us. Just then, she came into the kitchen, clearing her throat to get our attention. I nearly sprang a step farther away from Audrey, even though it wasn’t like we had been doing anything. Heck, we’d barely been close enough to touch.Annabelle looked amused but didn’t say anything to tease us. Instead, she just looked at her sister. “Hey, are you headed out for the night?” she asked. “Or are you doing dinner on your own? Clayton and Mom are at the store right now, and he just texted me to ask you if you wanted a grilled burger tonight. The weather’s so nice that it’s time for a backyard barbecue.”Audrey laughed. “I can’t remember the last time I had a burger,” she said.“It’s all steak tartare over there, huh?” Annabelle joked, getting another gig
All Grown Up A Nice Date
AudreyI should have known, when Jesse showed up with flowers, that he wasn’t just planning on taking me back to his place and having his way with me. Not that I wouldn’t have appreciated that as well. There had been something about the mystery of it all, though, that let me know how serious this was. That made something warm flutter in my chest. Even if I knew that it also meant Annabelle would probably be teasing me the next time she saw me or giving me another of her patented lectures about how I was only going to end up hurt and hurting Jesse.I didn’t want to think about that right now. Instead, I felt a small smile grace my face as Jesse led me into the restaurant.I had only been here once before, and it was on my sixteenth birthday. I don’t think I really appreciated then just how hard it must have been for Mom to save up for a splurge like this. Of course, she had known one of the waitresses and was able to get us a special deal since we came on one of the nights when they we
All Grown Up Casual
Audrey“I know that,” Jesse said, and I hated the defensive note that crept into his voice. Because I knew that he knew that. I wasn’t trying to imply that he was an idiot or that he hadn’t thought about the same things that I had. I knew that he knew I was leaving.I took a deep breath. “I just, I haven’t been acting like this thing has an ending,” I told him. “I’ve been acting like I’m here and I’m going to keep being here. I’m acting like this is forever. But it isn’t, and we both know that.”Jesse frowned. “Where is this coming from?” he asked. Then he continued, “Do you want to leave? Because seriously, it’s okay if you do. I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable.”“You didn’t make me feel uncomfortable,” I told him, sharply shaking my head. “The opposite, actually. Jeez, Jesse, you always make me feel the most comfortable that I ever do, in the whole world. I’m more comfortable around you than I am when I’m dancing.” I paused for a second, wondering if that was true. The word
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