Winters Thaw - By Mari Carr Page 0,1

“Jesus. That smells terrible.”

Jade wasn’t deterred, picking up an orange and peeling it. “The salt and limes are supposed to take the burn off.”

Sienna pointed out the obvious. “We don’t have limes.”

“Hence the oranges. I guess it’s about the same. They’re both juicy fruits. Personally, I think the orange might taste better. It’s sweeter.” Jade broke the orange slices apart and placed them on a napkin in the center of their circle.

Sterling began to fill the shot glasses. “Guess we should go ahead and see what the fuss is about, since Jade went to all this trouble.”

Sienna didn’t think Sterling was too bothered by the prospect of trying the shot. Of course, that was par for the course for Sterling. She was usually up for anything.

Sterling handed each girl a glass.

Sienna didn’t even have to lift it to her nose to catch the overwhelming scent of alcohol. Jade licked her hand, sprinkled salt on it and then passed the shaker around, gesturing for them to do the same.

“So it’s salt, shot and orange,” Jade instructed, though none of them needed the tutorial. The Mothers had been following this same birthday tradition for as long as the girls had been alive.

“Aren’t we supposed to propose a toast?” Hope asked as they lifted their glasses.

“I have one,” Jade said. “Here’s to all the boys whose hearts we’re going to break this year. Poor suckers.”

They drank the shots, each of them wincing as they sucked on the sweet oranges they hoped would kill the taste.

“That’s awful,” Hope declared, wrinkling her nose and covering her mouth. “Totally gross. Why would anyone drink that?”

Sterling didn’t bother to respond. Instead, she studied Jade’s face. “Whose heart are you planning to break? I thought you had the hots for Evan. And I get the feeling he likes you too. You already sick of him?”

Jade shook her head. “I wasn’t thinking of anyone in particular. We’re all going to be sixteen soon. Hope and Sienna are already there, and you and I are celebrating our birthdays in January. Let’s face it. None of us is going to meet the one for a damn long time—if ever. In the meantime, I plan to be the dumper, not the dumpee. There’s no way you’ll catch me crying for weeks over a boy like Jenna Garber did when Russ Philpott broke up with her.”

“Jenna was ridiculous,” Sterling agreed.

Hope, ever the compassionate one, chimed in. “Russ was her first love. And he immediately started going out with her best friend. That’s pretty harsh.”

“This,” Jade explained, “is why I’m always going to make sure I throw the first punch. No boy is ever going to get close enough to break my heart.”

Sienna shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a very smart way to live your life. And you’re wrong about us being too young to realize if someone’s the one. Look at me and Josh. We’ve been together for nearly four months, and he’s totally awesome. There’s no way I’m leaving him. We’re going to go to the same college, then come back here to live in Compton Pass. We want the same things. That’s why we’re so perfect together. I don’t plan on breaking his heart and he won’t break mine.”

“How can you plan forever with a guy you’ve never gone past second base with?” Jade asked. “Uncle Seth’s never even let you go on a car date alone with Josh.”

“That’s because I was only fifteen. Now that I’m sixteen and I can get my driver’s license, Dad said I can go out with him. And even if we haven’t gone on a real date, that doesn’t mean we haven’t kissed. A lot.”

Jade rolled her eyes. “Kissing. Big deal.”

“Josh respects me. He said we could wait until I’m ready. Besides, unless I missed the memo, you haven’t even walked up to the plate with Evan. You’re both still in that middle school, arm-punching phase.”

Jade narrowed her eyes. “Ha ha. I told you. I’m not settling for the first guy to glance my way. Or even the second or third or—”

“We get the picture.” Hope, ever the peacemaker, picked up another orange slice and tried to steer the conversation to safer waters. “You and Josh are great together, Sienna. I wish I could meet a guy—or two—like him.”

Sienna grinned. Rather than two parents, Hope had three. Uncle Silas and Uncle Colby were both married to Hope’s mother, Lucy. While Sienna realized there were folks around town who thought the union was weird