Dear Calista by Keil Danielle

Author:Keil, Danielle
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-07-31T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

I was halfway down the staircase before I remembered about the teal envelope. Part of me didn’t think it would be there this early, but he proved me wrong.

Snatching it off the door and hurrying back down the stairs, I slid into the passenger seat next to Mom. Even though my shift didn’t start for a few hours, I had to take the ride when I could get it.

“I’ll be home late again. Don’t wait up,” Mom said just before I slammed the car door shut. The timing was totally on purpose.

She had dropped me off in front of the downtown area. Work was a block away, but the little independent bookstore was two stores down, so I headed there.

First, I needed to stop by Sips, the local coffee shop. I required caffeine in my system before I read the letter.

After ordering, I waited against the back wall for them to call my name. I never gave my real one, less someone hear it who knew me, so I kept an ear out for “Samantha” instead. Even though I worked there for a short time, the baristas were new and didn’t know me.

After thanking the barista, I exited the shop and headed to the bookstore, keeping close to the wall.

“I heard a rumor,” a voice said from behind me. I jumped, startled and scared.

“Whoa, sorry! Didn’t mean to scare you.”

I shifted my cup to my other hand, so I could attend to the hot coffee that splashed out onto my arm a moment ago.

“Shoot. Here, take a napkin.” I followed the hand that reached out to me up to his face, finding none other than Josh Nichols standing in front of me.

The napkins had the logo for the Dairy Bar on them.

“You carry napkins from work in your pockets? At barely nine in the morning?” I muttered, taking them, and patting my arm. Luckily, it didn’t burn.

Josh shrugged and put his hands in his pockets. “Never know when they’ll come in handy. Anyway, when are you coming into the ice cream shop?”

I stared at him like he was crazy. “What?”

He rolled his eyes. “You are the new chosen one, aren’t you?”

Blinking seemed like the only thing I could do in the moment. He was speaking another language I didn’t understand.

Josh sighed. “Secret admirers. You are the chosen girl this month. Every girl comes into the shop at one point or another to figure out a clue. Then me, Josh,” he patted himself on the chest in case I forgot, “helps. It’s almost as much of a tradition as the game itself.”

I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head. Then I took a sip of my coffee, just to make him wait and sweat for a moment. “No.”

His jaw dropped. “Oh, come on.”

Another sip. “How long have girls been coming to your place of business to work out clues?”

He lifted his hands, counting on his fingers. “Four months. In a row.”

I snorted so hard I almost had coffee come out of my nose.

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