The Road to Rose Bend, Naima Simone [jenna bush book club .TXT] 📗

grandkids.” Flo slipped on gloves. “Decide what you’d like yet?”

“I’m going to go with one scoop of salted caramel and another scoop of strawberry cheesecake.”

“Great. Cone or cup?”

Sydney shot Florence a get real look. “Flo, don’t play with me. Cone. The waffle cone with the chocolate edging at the top.”

Florence chuckled. “Gotcha.”

As she moved toward the case to grab Sydney’s requested cone, the bell above the entrance tinkled. On instinct, Sydney glanced over her shoulder. Then barely managed to stifle a groan. And this one was not of pleasure.

She slowly turned, using those few seconds to shore up her defenses—both facial and emotional. Even as she fixed a polite smile on her face, she drew on every ounce of her I don’t give a fuck reserve. This particular cache she only drew on when forced to deal with Daniel’s uppity coworkers, salespeople who followed her around stores because she committed the crime of shopping while Black and, at times, her parents.

And now for Jenna Landon.

Daughter of the town’s former mayor. Spoiled. Mean girl.

To be fair, the willowy, beautiful redhead could’ve changed during the last eight years. People did that occasionally...

“Well, if it isn’t Sydney Collins. I’d heard you’d made your way back to town,” Jenna purred, the sneer in her voice as crystal clear as her blue eyes—and the glitter of spiteful glee in them.

Nope. Same ol’ stank attitude she’d always had.

“Good to see you, Jenna,” Sydney lied, voice carefully bland.

“You remember Karina, don’t you?” Jenna waved to the brunette standing next to her, a carbon copy of herself, complete with the same stylish blouses and shorts that hit their slender legs midthigh, and platform wedges. Even their pedicured toes were the same shell pink. “Karina Bloom.”

“I sure do.” Sydney nodded at the silent brunette. “Nice to see you again, Karina.”

How could she forget her? The other woman had trailed behind Jenna like a puppet attached to her master with strings. And it looked like that hadn’t changed either. How awful for her. Too bad Sydney couldn’t drum up any sympathy since it was Karina’s choice to be attached at the hip to Jenna.

“You, too,” Karina practically cooed. “Even under these...circumstances.”

“Circumstances?” Leo echoed from beside Sydney, an edge creeping into her voice. God love her, Leo had always been ready to throw down on Sydney’s behalf. Didn’t matter who it was—mean girls, even Sydney’s parents.

Sydney arched an eyebrow, unobtrusively settling a hand on Leo’s arm. “Not sure what you’re referring to.”

“We heard about your,” Jenna’s gaze and voice dipped, the former landing directly on Sydney’s stomach, “state. And it’s so sad you have to go through this alone...and abandoned by your husband.”

Phony sympathy dripped from Jenna’s tone, and Sydney forced her face not to move. Ordered her lips not to tremble or allow the curve tilting them to slip. Even as she tightened her grip on Leo’s arm.

Even as her heart slowed to a deliberate, aching thud against her sternum. Even as a light buzz droned in her ears. Even as heat swept up her spine and spilled over her skin as if she’d stepped into a sauna.

Nope. She refused to give this chick the satisfaction of knowing she’d dented her shields.

But she had. God, she had.

“Did you two want to order something?” Florence asked from behind Sydney, anger thrumming in her voice.

“No, I know some of us don’t have to worry about our figures, but I’m very conscious of mine. And besides, I’m just visiting an old friend, here.” Jenna slid the dig in with a saccharine smile.

Sydney smothered the urge to grimace. Hard to believe that during their freshman year of high school, they’d actually been friends. Something happened that summer before their sophomore year, and Jenna had turned into such a mean girl she could’ve starred in her own movie. And Sydney had been one of her favorite targets.

“Really,” Leo drawled. “I wasn’t aware you had those.” She flicked a glance at Karina. “No offense, babe.”

Forcibly holding back a grin, Sydney twisted around and wiggled her fingers over the glass countertop. “Well, Florence. Give me Jenna’s scoop. I’m eating for two, after all. As for being alone and abandoned,” she returned her attention to Jenna and her sidekick with a half shrug, “I’m divorced, not Oliver Twist. And I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific about my husband. Which one are you talking about?”

Karina’s nose scrunched in disgust, her chin tipping up. “Exactly how many have you had?”

“Technically, one,” Sydney said, narrowing her eyes and tapping her bottom lip. “Because, legally, I could only marry one man. Polygamy laws, and all that.”

Leo frowned. “I thought you told me you didn’t marry any of them because you couldn’t possibly choose between the three?”

Sydney shook her head, tsking. “No, you remember. I married one, but I called the other two my husbands as well.”

“Riiiight.” Leo snapped her fingers. “I believe the kids nowadays call it a reverse harem situation.”

“Yes, but we called it love.” Sydney heaved an exaggerated sigh and tried not to loose a grin at the strangled bark of laughter behind her. “Anywho, I became pregnant—let this be a lesson to you about safe sex—and rather than tear my men apart with insecurity and jealousy over who fathered my child, I decided to leave for the good of us all.”

Applause broke out, and she glanced over her shoulder to wink at Cecille, who’d apparently finished ringing up her customer. Beside her, Flo choked on her laughter.

“You think you’re so smart,” Jenna sneered. “And yet, here you are, with your tail between your legs, back in Rose Bend when you declared to anyone who would listen that you’d never return. Like you were too good for us. Tell me, Sydney. What flavor is crow?”

“Chocolaty with a nougat center,” Sydney shot back. “And while this little welcome-home party is making me misty, I have some ice cream to chug. So, it was nice seeing you again, Jenna, Karina. It warms my heart to know some things never, ever