“That’s not how food works.”
“That’s exactly how food works.”
Fox laughed, leaning back in his chair.“She’s not wrong.”
“Thank you,” Clove said.
Alice shook her head, smiling as she took a bite of her own.“You’re all ridiculous.”
“And you love it,” Wrecker said, draping an arm over the back of her chair.
She didn’t argue that.
Conversation moved easily after that.Nothing heavy.Nothing that needed thinking about.Just jokes, bullshit, the kind of talk that filled space without asking anything from you.
Fox said something that got Oliver laughing, and Clove threw a napkin at Ender when he made a comment she didn’t like.Alice leaned into Wrecker, relaxed in a way that only came when things were quiet.
I took another drink, and my gaze drifted back toward the counter.
Lark was wiping it down again, Bay ringing someone up who’d come in after us.
No Ever.She was out on a date.
I dragged my focus back to the table, catching the tail end of whatever Clove was saying now.
“…and if he doesn’t like it, that’s his problem,” she finished.
“Who?”Ender asked.
“Hypothetical man,” she said.
“There’s no hypothetical man,” he replied.
“There could be.”
“There isn’t.”
Clove rolled her eyes.“You’re exhausting.”
“So I’ve been told.”
Fox leaned forward, elbows on the table.“You gonna get another one, or are we heading out after this?”
“I’m getting another one,” Clove said immediately.
“Of course you are.”
“You knew what this was when you agreed to come.”
He laughed.“Yeah, yeah.”
I finished the shake, setting the empty cup on the table.
Fox pushed to his feet.“Alright.Round two for whoever wants it.”
Clove shot up right after him.“Me.”
Ender groaned.“Unbelievable.”
