“Don’t mind them,” Penny says quietly. “They just found out you snagged the third Hawthorne…”
I recognize the one in the middle.
She walks straight toward us.
Her hand lands on Dex’s shoulder, making him turn and breaking our hold.
“Dex, how about a dance later?” she asks, her fingers trailing down his arm.
Something sharp twists in my chest.
Dex goes still.
Then he gently but firmly takes her hand off his arm and steps closer to me. His arm comes around my waist, pulling me into his side.
“Cynthia,” he says calmly, “I want you to meet my girlfriend, Lexy.”
My breath catches.
I hold out my hand, but she ignores it completely.
“You said you didn’tdogirlfriends,” she snaps.
Dex doesn’t look at her.
He looks at me.
“I didn’t,” he says quietly. “Until I fell in love with her.”
He presses a kiss to my temple.
Cynthia scoffs and walks away.
“So,” I say, smiling up at him, “I’m your first real girlfriend, Pan?”
“You’re my only girlfriend.”
He kisses me again, and just like that, the rest of the world fades.
We make our way over to Lily and Josh, who are already settled on picnic blankets spread across the grass.
Lily waves us over. “There you two are! Sit, sit, before Ethan eats everything.”
“Hey!” Ethan protests.
“You are eating everything,” Summer laughs.
“I’m growing.”
“You’re twenty-eight!”
“That’s still growing.”
Laughter ripples through the group.
I hesitate for just a second.
Then Dex’s hand tightens around mine, pulling me down beside him. His arm settles behind me, warm and steady.
