I seethed to see two tables erupt into cheers and How’s college, E? Some of the kids who had graduated in her year had occupied the table closest to her, and they quickly scooted chairs to make room for the prodigal El.

“Told you she was coming back,” Lucy murmured over the drone of the dishwasher. “Hey, she’ll probably run into Levi at the art center.” She nudged me.

I gave a half-hearted shrug, unease pooling in my stomach. Elodie still hadn’t looked at me. The humiliation of her avoidance yesterday was fresh in my mind, and the hair on my arms prickled. She looked even prettier today. Up close, I could almost count the constellations of her freckles. I remembered thinking once that no matter how blustery the day, seeing her made me feel like I was warmed by summer rays. Now I just felt cold.

“Oh my gosh, Babe, is that you?” Elodie made a show of looking around the room. It was only the slight downturn of her full lips that hinted at her emotions.

I wouldn’t call her El. “Hi, Elodie,” I said, trying to smile as she approached, although I was pretty sure it was laced with Splenda sweetness.

She wrapped her arms around herself, like she was warding off the chill she’d brought into the coffee shop. She glanced over her shoulder at the table that was waiting for her, then back to me, like she wanted to say something more. “How have you been?”

I kept my voice as clipped as I could as I responded, “Fine.”

Lucy’s eyes volleyed between us. “So how’s school? You were in California, right?” she asked, breaking the tension.

“Yes!” Elodie’s whole face seemed brighter. “CalArts is amazing!” she said. With an embarrassed smile, she added, “That’s what we call it there.”

Lucy caught my eye, and I knew she was fighting back a laugh. “Whoa. Cool,” she said.

“California Institute of the Arts,” said Elodie.

I kept my face blank, even though she seemed intent on holding eye contact. I knew the name of her school, abbreviated and full, and didn’t need a reminder of the place that had lured her away from Maine.

Elodie waved a hand at my cakes in the glass display case, still smiling. “We had some amazing food near campus, but I found myself missing these so much.”

Missing these. Not missing me. Not missing us.

“Glad you missed something about home,” I said tartly. “Back for anyone in particular?” I wanted to take the words back the moment they were out there. It sounded like I was fishing, like I wanted her to tell me she was back for me. I knew she wasn’t. Oar’s Rest was her home; her family was here. It made total sense that she was back for the summer.