“Really?”
The teenage cashier with a large septum piercing and more freckles than not wore a bored expression when we stepped up to the counter, and she barely suppressed an eye roll when Aurelia and I ordered all nine of the specials. Sam and Molly had dozens of flavors that were constantly changing, but Aurelia and I were determined to make a sizable dent in their menu.
The shop was busy today since it was a warm, sunny day and a Friday. I even spotted a few kids who had clearly decided to skip school. The cashier handed one of the servers our ticket, and he hurried away to get started on our big order.
“Thanks,” Aurelia said.
“Sure.”
Placing a hand on Aurelia’s lower back, I start to move her out of the way when the cashier’s gaze snags on Aurelia’s face and the recognition that flashes in her eyes puts me on edge.
“Hey. Has anyone ever told you that you look like that singer?”
Aurelia stops, her face as alarmed as I’m feeling. “W-what singer?”
“I don’t know. Anastasia, I think.”
“Oh. Yeah,” Aurelia plays it off with a laugh. “Yeah, sometimes. Are you a big fan of hers?”
“Not really. I think she died or something.” Clearly bored with us now that she believes Aurelia isn’t a mega celebrity, the cashier sighs and turns away to restock the cones.
My gaze is stuck to Aurelia as we walk away while worry churns in my gut at how she might feel at seemingly being so easily forgotten. Her expression is confused, and she’s pensive for a few seconds before she snorts and then lets out the most obnoxious sound I’ve ever heard from her. She quickly claps a hand over her mouth to smother the rest of her laugh, and I reach out to wrangle her hand away from her face.
Aurelia grins up at me and giggles. “It’s not the first time that’s happened,” she whispers when we’re far enough away from the cashier. “But I have to say it’s the first time it’s felt that good.”
“Congratulations. You’re a nobody like the rest of us. How does it feel, pleb?”
“Honestly? Like for the first time, I can truly do anything, and no one will give a shit. It’s great.”
Her smile is not only infectious, it lights up her face and emphasizes her beauty and I’m not talking about the allure that’s easily recognizable to anyone who sees her.
It’s the beauty within that captivates me. The one you have to trudge through darkness and thorns, bitter words, and sneers to see. But if you know where to look, it’s right there in the quick little breaths she takes when she’s excited, the way her browneyes brighten, or the way her smile takes over her face. She’s a vision that nearly sends me to my knees.
When I peek over at the server, he’s barely gotten through our third dish so I quickly pull Aurelia over into the dark hallway between the dining room and the employee area and I kiss her while she clings to me for the air I’m denying her.
When I finally release her, she’s panting for breath with a look in her eyes as if she wants to ask me what she’s done to deserve a kiss like that when really it’s me who feels as if I passed some sort of test.
“Order ninety-two!” the server calls out.
“That’s us,” Aurelia pants.
I kiss her one more time, albeit briefly, and then I pull her over to the counter and retrieve the large tray with our order. Aurelia leads the way to an empty table tucked into a back corner by the window. It’s been freshly wiped, so I set the tray down and we take our seats.
Aurelia has her eye on a sundae with scoops of cookies and cream, bubblegum, and strawberry ice cream. It’s studded with Oreos, sprinkled with gummy bears, drizzled in caramel, and topped with a cherry. I go for the other sundae with the least number of toppings—vanilla bean ice cream, caramel drizzle, peanut butter cups, and pretzels.
By the time we’re done, neither of us have finished a single dish, but we’ve sampled them all.
“I don’t think I can eat another bite,” Aurelia groans after one sip of a blue shake with a Cookie Monster theme.
“You ready to go?”
She peeks at me from under her lashes. “Only if you’re carrying me.”
I snort and throw a few bills on the table for the tip. “Let’s go, greedy girl.”
Aurelia groans when I help her out of her chair, and then we leave the parlor and step out into the sun. We walk for a little bit, just enjoying the warmth after the freezing cold of Sam and Molly’s. Unlike before, Aurelia is utterly disinterested in the shops we pass until we reach a florist. I let her pull me inside while she grumbles how our cabin is in desperate need of a feminine touch.
The bell above the door dings as we enter the empty shop.
