My heart rate explodes. I panic a bit, regretting my choices. An image of Evelyn’s angry face flashes through my mind.
Before I know it, I’m being thrust in front of Nicole, under the light of the pool table.
‘Y’all, look who’s here! It’s Jenny English!’
Heat rushes to my face. I’m mortified. Three very familiar men are staring at me: AJ, Balthazar Reyes and Chase Brennan.
Balthazar has an inane grin on his face.
AJ can’t look at me.
Chase Brennan looks like somebody told him he just won a prize.
‘No fucking way,’ Chase blurts. ‘Jenny fuckin’ English?’
‘It’s Hollie, ain’t it?’ AJ says, lowkey correcting them.
‘Oh, man, I’m so sorry, I’m so rude,’ Nicole says behind me. ‘I don’t even know why I just called you that. It’s Hollie Palmer!’
‘Hey, Hollie,’ Balthazar says cheerfully.
‘Hi,’ I say, and look between him and AJ.
‘Ain’t seen you in a while,’ Balthazar adds through gritted teeth. ‘What’s it been? Four, five years?’
AJ runs one hand through his hair. It appears this is how we’re going to play it.
‘Hold up, you don’t look like Jenny English no more,’ Chase says. ‘You don’t look like a total dork.’
I see AJ wince as he looks away.
‘Duh,’ Nicole snaps at him. ‘Don’t you know everybody sheds their high school skin, Bren?’
Chase waves his fingers between AJ and Balthazar. ‘These motherfuckers sure didn’t.’
‘Girl had her glow up,’ Nicole says, still smiling at me.
To my left, a college boy in a varsity jacket approaches the group with some trepidation. ‘Uh, are you boys using the table?’
Chase snaps at him, ‘Does it look like we’re not usin’ it?’
‘Kinda looks like you’re having a conversation,’ the boy comments.
‘Fuck off,’ Chase states and the guy backs off, holding up two hands in surrender.
‘You boys go back to your game,’ Nicole says. ‘Hollie and I are gonna catch up.’
She yanks me over to an upturned barrel being utilised as a table, giving us a view of the pool game. I watch AJ carefully. He’s yet to look at my face. Regret swirls in my gut like the beginnings of food poisoning.
‘So how you been?’ Nicole asks. This is more than odd, because I don’t remember us being friendly in high school. I put down my beer and hug my waist. ‘What are you doing back in Canyon? We heard you left?’
‘I did leave,’ I tell her. ‘I went to college in the UK. I graduated last year. Came back to spend the summer with my dad then ended up staying in Canyon.’
I explain my situation, not being able to work without a green card, and the fact that I’m a candy striper at Sunset Pines.
‘What about you?’ I ask.
‘Oh, you know,’ Nicole sighs. ‘Never left Canyon. Got my own mobile salon. My momma says she’s surprised I ain’t been knocked up by now.’