Levi sighed. “I didn’t take my responsibility lightly, whichmeant treating my body like a temple and only feeding it what it needed to stay strong and healthy.”
“But you drink beer,” Haddie said through an incredulous laugh.
“Yeah…now. But not in high school.”
She filled her spoon with a heaping mound of vanilla-chocolate swirl ice cream that dripped with golden caramel and—he assumed—with a hidden hunk of pretzel as well. “Levi, you’ve been out of high school for almost fifteen years, and you’re telling me that in all that time, you’ve never eaten a bowl of Mrs. Pinkney’s salted-caramel pretzel-crunch ice cream?”
“Not once that I can recall!” Mrs. Pinkney chimed in from behind the pastry case where she was organizing her fresh creations.
Levi shrugged. “Some old habits die harder than the rest, and I never really got into sweets, and I’m not about to start with a basin of ice cream that will no doubt turn me lactose intolerant if I’m not already.”
Haddie snorted and then, without warning, shoved her already dripping spoon against his lips so that he had no choice but to open wide or else possibly chip a tooth.
He coughed as her spoon came dangerously close to his uvula and then clamped his lips shut around the utensil, his tongue and teeth and roof of his mouth wiping it clean before releasing their grip and effectively giving the spoon back to its rightful owner.
It took a couple of seconds for the brain freeze to subside and the mix of flavors—vanilla bean; rich, fudgy chocolate; buttery caramel; and the savory pretzel crunch—to register. But when it did…
“Holy fuck,” Levi’s frozen and still full mouth attempted to say, but instead it came out as more of aHoe-wee fuh.
“Language, Levi…” Mrs. Pinkney warned. “This is a family establishment that will be overrun with children before you finish that bowl.”
Levi nodded and gave her a thumbs-up as he swallowed. “Yes, ma’am!”
Haddie dropped her spoon in her bowl, dusted off her hands, and crossed her arms. “Best thing to ever touch your tongue, right?” she asked with a self-satisfiedI told you so. When I’m right I’m rightkind of smile.
“Yes,” he admitted. “Hell fucking yes.” Then he covered his mouth as Mrs. Pinkney shot him a reprimanding glare. “Sorry!”
And even though he slightly regretted his life choices later that day, Levi Rourke polished off the entire bowl of ice cream and maybe a little of Haddie’s too.
***
Asleep?he texted late that night when a nagging thought would not let him fall asleep.
Birthday Girl:Almost
He should have let it go, should have dealt with the fact that he wasn’t going to sleep that night rather than unburden his burden onto Haddie’s shoulders and make the knowledge her burden too. But there was some reckless part of him—after all, he consumedbasins of ice cream now—that wanted her to know.
Levi:I lied before. Earlier today, I mean.
The three dots appeared and disappeared, then appeared again.
Birthday Girl:About…what?
He should definitely abort this mission. He’d already made her nervous. But now, if he didn’t follow through, she’d grill him until he did. So, in the name of honesty and a bit of selfish assholery, he told her.
Levi:Salted-caramel pretzel crunch is the second-best thing to ever touch my tongue.
Three dots…there and gone. There and gone. There and gone. If she didn’t respond, he’d leave it be. That was the silent promise he made to her. But after an interminable several seconds more, her text came through.
Birthday Girl:What is the first?
Levi:You
Chapter 13
Levi watched the clock run out after the final goal was scored.He clapped four times, his jaw tight before he called out, “Good game, Muskies! Good game!” to no one in particular. The two teams did their high five/handshake thing as they walked off the field, and then Levi led his team to an empty section of the already mostly empty bleachers as their few spectators filed out. “You too, McMannus!” Levi called over his shoulder to his one benchwarmer who hadn’t left the bench with the others.
One full week of school, and as predicted, the guy was already on academic probation. Levi wasn’t even sure how that was possible, but he was forced to bench his best player for their first game, and it hadn’t gone well. For any of them.
