She stepped back, smiling in a way I hadn’t seen before.
Different.
Lighter.
She lifted a hand in a small wave before turning and heading inside.
The door shut behind her and I just stood there for a second letting it all sink in.
Because damn, I hadn’t felt like this before.
Not once.
Not with anyone.
And now?
Now I couldn’t imagine not feeling it.
All because of her.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Ever
Lark didn’t even wait for the door to fully close behind me.
“Oh my God,” she said, dragging the words out as she leaned her hip against the counter and crossed her arms.“I thought you were going to the party with Jesse.”
I paused mid-step, already feeling my face heat.
“And then,” she continued, eyes wide and entirely too amused, “you roll up on the back of Jude’s bike this morning like you just stepped out of some fantasy you’ve been having since high school.”
I dropped my purse behind the counter and pointed at her.“Don’t start.”
“Oh, I’ve already started.The register is ready, and the door is open.You and I are talking,” she shot back.“You don’t get to walk in here wearing a man’s shirt, looking like that, and expect me to just hand you an ice cream scoop and pretend nothing happened.”
I glanced down at myself like that would somehow help.It didn’t.
Because yeah, Iwaswearing Jude’s shirt, and Ididlook like I had just stepped out of something I didn’t fully understand yet.“Lark,” I warned.
She pushed off the counter and came closer, lowering her voice like we were about to share secrets instead of her about to interrogate me.
“What.Happened.”
I grabbed a clean rag and started wiping down a counter that was already spotless.
Avoidance.
Classic.
“Ever.”
“I went to the party with Jesse,” I started, keeping my eyes on the counter like it was the most interesting thing in the world.
“Obviously,” she said.“That part I understand.”
I blew out a breath.“And it was… fine.At first,” I said.
