Curvy Girls Can’t Date Best Friends by Kelsie Stelting

Eighteen

CARSON

Putting my hands on Callie like I had always dreamed of had been the sweetest form of torture. There was probably an extra circle of hell where they punished you with someone you could never—and should never—have.

I was still thinking about what it felt like to slip my fingers through hers when Mom snapped her fingers at me at the hotel breakfast table.

“Earth to Carson,” she said.

I blinked quickly. “Sorry, what’s up?”

“I was just asking if you’d given any thought to where you wanted to go next. I want to be sure to give Gramps and Grandma plenty of notice if that’s the way you want to go. They’re not exactly spring chickens anymore.”

I snorted. “They’ve been to thirty states in their RV in the last two years. They would have plenty of energy for me,” I said. Then my stomach bottomed out as I realized anywhere I went, I would be a burden. With my mom, she’d have to keep track of me while she moved from job to job. With my grandparents, they would give up the freedom of traveling during their twilight years. With Callie, her family would be supporting me, and with Beckett, I’d be crowding up their living room.

“I’d love to have you come with me,” Mom said, picking at her biscuits and gravy. “It might be our last chance to spend time together.”

The vulnerability in her voice hit me deep, but I sat, frozen. Would I see her again? Would I choose to visit the woman who kept me under the roof of an abusive father? I honestly didn’t know.

Slowly, she sat back and said, “You want to stay here.”

There was no denying her statement. I already knew I couldn’t leave Callie. No matter how much better for her that would have been. A part of me still selfishly wanted to be near her this one last summer, even if I couldn’t call her mine.

Mom nodded. “I’m assuming you’ll stay with the Copelands.”

“I don’t know if that will be an option,” I answered slowly.

“Did something happen?”

I shook my head.

Her expression transformed from troubled to ecstatic. “Are you and Callie dating? You have to call and tell your sisters! They are going to be over the moon about this.”

I smiled along with her and nodded, because I wanted there to be at least one reality where a relationship with Callie was possible.

“I knew it,” she said gleefully. “I just knew you two were meant to be together.”

Her words caught me off guard. I’d heard similar from my friends and hers, but never from my mom. “What do you mean?”

“The first moment you told me about her, I could see it in your eyes.” Her expression turned somber. “When Cook men fall in love, they do it for life.”

I knew she hadn’t meant to drive the stake further through my heart, but she had. She just reminded me why I needed this fake relationship to work for Callie. She deserved better than a life with the curse.

I pushed back from the table and said, “Better get to work.”

Up in the room, I put on one of the new suits I bought. The floral one Callie had picked that looked good, even if I’d never admit it. I drove to the pool. Since I was eighteen now, I could use it without a lifeguard present and get my workouts in.

I shucked my shoes at a chair and jumped into one of the lap lanes. I threw myself into the exercises my college coach had given the team, just wanting to escape for a little bit.

Swimming did the trick. My lungs were burning, and my muscles ached, but my mind was blissfully numb. At least for now. Knowing my shift was coming up soon, I got out of the water and went to the locker room to rinse off. Before work started, I needed to get in touch with Beckett and see if I could stay at his place.

Once I finished rinsing off, I sat on a locker room bench and fired off a text to Becks.

Carson: Let’s hang out after work?

Beckett: Come to the bakery when you get off. I can take a little break.

After my shift at the pool, I drove across town to Seaton Bakery. They made the best cupcakes, and now that they made donuts, I was pretty sure there was no better place to grab breakfast.

Usually I listened to music as I drove, but today I couldn’t bring myself to turn it on. So much was up in the air, and I just felt lost.

Through the big windows, I could see Beckett walking around the dining area with his camera. He took photos for their social media and website and had even started a series on their regulars.

When I walked through the door, he pointed his camera at me, and the shutter sounded.

“No pictures please,” I said with an exasperated smile.

He batted his hand at me and said, “That one was already perfect anyway, pretty boy.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Grab something to eat, and I’ll come sit with you,” he said.

I followed his directions and got a cupcake heaping with frosting, along with a donut and a hot chocolate. It was hot outside, but the AC in here was ice cold.

I took a warming sip of my cocoa on the way to the table and sat down. As I peeled the wrapper off my cupcake, Beckett slid into the seat across from me and took a bite of his own cupcake.

“How’s it going?” he asked.

I shook my head. “It’s a long story.”

Through a mouthful of food, he said, “I’m pretty much done here. Tell me.”

Raking my hands through my hair, I unloaded everything to Beckett—even the part I was afraid to tell Callie. All I held back was the fake dating part, but finally I had to tell him the truth I hated. “I’m just like my dad, and Callie deserves better.”

Beckett swore low, shaking his head. “You aren’t like your dad.”

The resolution in his voice took me off guard. Made me angry even. “How can you say that? I would have killed him.”

“You didn’t,” he said easily. Like we weren’t talking about murder.

“But I wanted to,” I gritted out. “My mom had to stop me.”

“You let her stop you.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “You and I both know your mom isn’t strong enough to hold you back. If you really had it in you, if you had really wanted to kill him, you would have done it.”

I wanted so badly for his words to be true. But even if they were and I wasn’t as bad as my father, I was close enough to know Callie deserved better. “I just need a place to stay for the summer,” I said.

“Done,” he replied. “Our couch is yours. Heck, you can probably take Dad’s room. He’s gone most of the time with football season gearing up anyway.”

My chest got that tight feeling again. This time with gratitude. I didn’t deserve the wholehearted way he welcomed me into his house, but here he was, just like Callie, giving me all the chances I’d never earned. “Thank you,” I managed.

“No problem. Actually...” He reached into his pocket and began fiddling with his keys. “Take this. I’ll be out with Rory tonight, but you can make a copy for yourself and let yourself in whenever you need.”

I took the silver key and held it tight. I didn’t know how, but someday, I’d pay Beckett back for the kind of friend he was to me.