Isa sat in the middle seat, and I distracted myself by checking our virtual parking meter. Its time was running a little too low by my best estimate, so I added a few more hours.
And then promptly received a Venmo notification.To your health!Isa’s caption read, and the money had been a privatepayment. Venmo wasn’t exactly social media, but its public transactions were an underrated stalking tool.
“You didn’t have to do that,” I told her.
She smile-shrugged, no longer CEO Cruz. “It’s technically my car.”
I tried my best to smile back. Isa was wonderful, the mostwonderfulfriend. Kind, caring, considerate—always there for you. Guilt gnawed in the pit of my stomach. Why did it have to be Ev?
Why did Ev have to be the boy who broke her heart?
Why couldn’t he just be the boy who had mine?
Hook, line, and sinker.
I glanced over at him, long enough to catch his eye in return. Isa was tapping away on her phone, so she didn’t notice.I’m sorry,I mouthed, and touched my cheek.
Ev nodded solemnly, then turned away to FaceID into his iPhone. Was that it? I worried, until my own phone buzzed in my pocket. As I rummaged for it, I caught Ev sneak a peek atme.
You should be,his text read.I’d watch your mouth if I were you…
I felt my cheeks pinken.
I definitely do,Ev messaged again.Watch your mouth, I mean.
My blush deepened. Ev could flat-outflirt.
Ev!!!I wrote.
Grace!!!he wrote back.
We looked up from our phones and smirked at each other over Isa’s head. His dimples were begging to be poked—no, kissed. Poking was a thing of the past.
Ev brushed two fingertips across his nose, and I swear I felt their gentle touch on mine. My chest swelled, but not in a wholehearted way this time; it swelled until it was swollen, almost painful. Isa was sittingrightnext to me.
Biting down hard on my tongue, I tapped out another message:How much longer can we do this, Ev?
I waited a few seconds before sending it, and watched Ev receive it. His eyes scanned the screen, face completely stoic.
The gray typing dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Appeared.
Disappeared.
What is he going to say?I wondered, my lungs wavering.That we should talk? About us? About what we are? And then tell Isa?
My phone vibrated, and I read:Not long. Just return myhat.
And I couldn’t help myself—I burst out laughing. Full-on, bottom-of-my-belly laughter.
Isa finally put down her phone, her lips already twitching with giggles. She laughed, I laughed. I laughed, she laughed. “G, what…?”
“It’s him,” I said, wiping tears away from my eyes and gesturing to Ev. “He wants his damn hat back.”
“Seriously?” Isa shifted in her seat toward him. “You actually asked that?” Through her laughter, she scowled. “We can’t take you anywhere!”
