He rolled his eyes. “Of course not. Come on.”
Natalie was working the counter with a couple of high school kids. When I entered with Lukas, her eyes practically bulged out of her head.
“Hey, Nat.” I tapped the counter. “Lukas and I have arrived and would love some ice cream.” I regarded the man, who stood there with his lips pressed together. “What are you having?”
He crossed his arms and sighed. “Chocolate soft serve with peanut butter sauce and coconut shavings, large sundae size.”
I nudged Lukas’s side with my elbow. “Very creative. I will have a Cherry Bomb Explosion creation.”
“A what?” Lukas crinkled his nose. “That sounds awful.”
I wagged a finger at him. “Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it.”
“Which will be never.” He tossed a fifty to the counter. “Keep the change.”
I splayed my fingers onto my chest. “Aww, you bought me my ice cream, thank you.”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m going to sit down. Bring it to me once it’s done.” He left, and I faced Natalie, who had ordered the high schoolers to make the ice cream.
“How in the world are you here with Lukas Farren right now?”
“Well, he had a fitting for some tuxedos and then decided to have ice cream.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’ve stalked him and haven’t let him go, haven’t you?”
“What?” I gasped. “Look at these arms.” I held out one. “Lanky, Nat. I can’t stop him if he wants to be away from me.”
She chuckled. “Oh, you don’t realize how untrue that is. You talk people into submission…or maybe you tire them out, and they give in.”
I shrugged. “Whichever. Point is, I’m gonna make him my friend and learn all the mysteries that are Lancaster Island and Lukas Farren.”
Natalie snorted. “Okay, Agatha Christie. Good luck.” She leaned closer. “But if you do, you better share.”
I nodded and made an X across my heart. “Promise.”
A couple of minutes later Kevin handed me our ice creams, and I practically skipped over to Lukas.
“Here you are.”
He didn’t say anything, just began shoveling it into his mouth. I thought about what to ask him while I ate mine. He wouldn’t look at me and even though I was sure he’d rather I not be here, something was telling me he needed me to stay.
“So, Lukas, where were you before Brookridge?”
He glanced up, his amethyst eyes boring into me. “Why?”
“Just wondering where you moved from.”
“I’ve lived many places.”
That was a nonanswer if I’d ever heard one. “I’ve lived in Brookridge my whole life.”
He hummed.
“What do you like to do in your spare time?”
He released a sigh through his nose. “I enjoy silence.”
“Not really a hobby.”
