“Why would I mind?” Ava asked.
“Luke told me you don’t eat peasant food,” I laughed, and Ava glanced at him skeptically.
“Sounds like something a peasant would say,” she added, before snatching the plate.
“Gimme,” Alex said as I was already preparing them on the plates for everybody.
Ava took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. “These are pretty good. Nicely done,” she said, and a spark of happiness filled me. I smiled proudly.
We moved to the patio, Luke settling beside me. Not so close that it would draw attention, but close enough for me to feel his warmth. A reminder popped into my head.
“Oh, by the way, good news. Watson agreed to meet you guys in two days if you have nothing else planned. His schedule’s tight, so that’s the only time he can do it,” I said, and suddenly, all eyes were on me.
“YES, BABY,” Ethan shouted, high-fiving Luke without even looking. For something so unplanned, it landed surprisingly perfect.
“One catch, though. He can only meet us at his place in the evening, and with the drive back, it’ll be a late night.”
“No problem. We’ll stay over and head back in the morning,” Ethan said.
“Oh, Ethan.” He gave him his bestsupervisorlook. “As your boss, I really should go alone. Hazel, too, of course, since she set it up. This is your vacation, I forbid you to work.”
Oh my God, it was so obvious. He looked serious, but the amusement on his face was clear.
“Oh, you wish. No way. I’m coming, and WE. WILL. MAKE. THIS. HAPPEN,” he hyped.
I was glad I could set this up for them. It felt like a small way to lighten their financial burden, even though Luke assured me his work would cover it.
“C’mon, it’ll be a fun road trip,” I bumped his shoulder, complimenting it with myit’s-gonna-be-finevoice.
“Yes, and Summer will come too, so Hazel has something to do while we pitch,” Ethan added.
“See?” I whispered, taking a bite of my grilled cheese. Damn, it really was good.
Luke shook his head slightly, lips curling playfully like he was almost annoyed that I sided with Ethan.
“Sure,” he said, but his eyes stayed on mine. We shared a small, knowing smile.
“This is really good, Hazel,” Alex said, already reaching for another.
“Even though he’s right,” Luke chimed in, “I wouldn’t trust Alex’s judgment too much.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Alex asked.
“Nothing, you stamp licker.”
Alex went pale, pointing an accusatory finger at Luke. “It was one time in college, man. Let it go.”
“Why stamp licker?” I asked, confused.
“That’s a great story. It involves alcohol and me convincing Alex that each stamp had a unique taste. He must’ve licked a hundred before realizing I was messing with him.”
Ridiculous.
“Not cool, bro,” Alex said dismissively.
“If I remember correctly, besides the licking, the night also involved excessive mooning,” Ava added, making everyone crack up.
“Hey, whose side are you on?” Alex whined, but Ava just hugged him tight. They were just the cutest.
