Read Online String Beans (The Girls of Beachmont #2) by T. K. Rapp - Free Book Online

could muster.
    “So you came out
here to find yourself?” she asked as she slowly started walking toward me
again.
    I knew there was no
way to get out of this. Whether it happened at that moment or months down the
road, I would end up telling her the whole sordid story. Maybe I could look at
it as therapy. She was a stranger, after all.
    We walked through
the wooden double doors of String Beans and headed to the counter. A young girl
with piercings in her nose, lip, and a gauge in her ear smiled. I’d seen her
before and was mesmerized by her bright purple pixie cut. I’d only seen her once
the week before, but she was friendly. I glanced at her nametag—Busy—and
smiled.
    “Welcome to String
Beans. What can I get started for you?”
    I stared at the chalkboard
writing that listed the specials when Callie spoke up. “Wow, did those hurt?”
    Busy looked past me
to acknowledge Callie, her smile still in place. “Not too bad.”
    I looked over my
shoulder at Callie, who was still staring at Busy’s face, and cleared my throat.
“I’ll take a number three and a green tea, please.”
    Busy nodded and
began making my order. I handed her my money and walked over to my new favorite
chair so I could get comfortable. Callie was still at the counter talking with
the barista, and I figured she would get something and head out, but she
didn’t. I saw her look around the coffeehouse and I knew she was trying to
locate me. I slumped deeper into the chair, hoping to hide, but as I stole a
glance over my open book, she spotted me and came waltzing over.

 
    Jolie wants me to make friends—here goes nothing.

 
    “So what brought
you out to L.A.?” I asked, setting my book aside and moving my things from the
empty chair next to me. Callie smiled and took the seat I offered.
    “Fame,” she said
with a dreamy look in her eyes. “Back home, I had always wanted to be famous,
but there was no way that was going to happen—not in my hometown. Sure,
people know me there, but in a place like Burning Oaks where there’s only two
thousand people…everyone’s name gets around.”
    “So you up and
left. Just like that?” I asked, impressed with her passion.
    “Yeah,” she sighed.
“Momma and Daddy weren’t thrilled, but I’m twenty-one, and I’d already spent
too much time doing nothing and going nowhere. I didn’t want to go to college,
so they gave me the money they had saved up and told me to go for it.”
    “Sounds like you
have pretty amazing parents,” I complimented, and she nodded. “Have they been
out here to see you?”
    “Not yet. I don’t
want them to visit until I have something solid—big, even—lined up.
I don’t want them to think I’m a failure,” she admitted, looking disappointed.
    “It’s only been six
months. I don’t think you can consider yourself a failure.”
    I was glad to see
her smile return…then she spoke again, bringing the conversation back to me.
    “So the divorce
drove you away, but what brought you here?” she asked, focusing on me.
    “Honestly? I’m not
sure,” I said and leaned back in the overstuffed chair. “Will, my ex, and I
were both into music. He had a band and I, well, I stopped doing anything of my
own, music-related, to help pay rent. When I caught him cheating, I took care
of some things and got out of town the first chance I got. I couldn’t go back
home and my best friends live too far away. So I ended up here with no job
prospects, no friends, and no clue what to do next.”
    “It’s been a couple
of weeks, right?” Callie questioned and waited for my nod. “So…job?”
    “It’s not much, but
part time at the bookstore,” I said. “I really need to find something else.”
    “Okay. And what
about friends?” My eyes met hers and she raised her brows, nodding eagerly.
    “Maybe,” I laughed,
ignoring the way she pouted her lips.
    “Any clue what to
do next?”
    I shook my head and
closed my eyes. “Callie—I don’t think I’d be here