Zuri reaches over and squeezes my hand. “I like that. My family was taken away from me, and I haven’t had one since.”
My heart aches for her, thumps hard against my chest. “I’m so sorry, baby. But I’ll always be your family. I’m not going anywhere.”
I lean in to kiss her, but jump when there’s a bang on my window, nearly coming out of my skin.
I whip my head around, about to murder someone, but see Rory’s bright red hair and smile. “Oops. Sorry. Were you guys about to kiss?”
I roll my eyes. “And that’s Rory, for you,” I say.
“I kinda love him,” Zuri replies. The night she stayed over at T’s house, and we all hung out together, she liked him a lot then, too. It’s when he’d realized he’s in love with Shai, and once Rory knows something, there’s no keeping it quiet.
“Am I interrupting?” he asks through the window, and I smile at him. How can I not?
“Move so I can get out, asshole.” He does as I say, Zuri and I climbing out of my car.
“I saw you from inside. Thought I’d wreak some havoc.”
“From what I hear, you’re very good at that,” Zuri says when the three of us meet in front of the car.
“Have you heard many stories?” he asks.
“I told her,” I say.
“Ooh, I hope you gave her my favorite stories about me.” He wraps an arm around Zuri. “Aislin has been, like, all heart-eyed about you forever. She kept giving me updates. You should have seen how happy she was when you finally kissed.”
“Oh my God, Rory! Shut the fuck up!” I tell him, feeling my cheeks heat.
“No, don’t stop. Keep going,” Zuri tells him as the two of them walk into the restaurant with his arm around her.
We sit at the table Rory always gets when he’s here. I can see both Shai and Ollie in the kitchen, and Ollie gives me the most adorable thumbs-up when he sees us.
Rory has plastered himself to Zuri’s side, sitting in the booth with her, so I slide in across from them.
“You have a boyfriend. Leave my girlfriend alone,” I tease.
“Shai is so fucking hot,” he says, leaning back. “I’m hungry. Are you guys hungry? What kind of pizza do you want? Maybe one day I should eat a pizza off Shai.”
I laugh and reach over for his hand. “God, I love you.”
“I love you, too,” Rory says. “Did you know Ash helped me realize I’m in love with Shai and that I’m actually really fucking good at loving people?”
She turns toward him, not looking at him like he’s this thing she has to figure out, the way some people do. Rory is just Rory, and there’s nothing but acceptance in her gaze. It’s one of the reasons I love her—because Iamso fucking in love with her.
“No, but I’d love to hear that story.”
“Okay. I’m just warning you, this might take a while,” he says.
“How about I order the food and leave you two alone?”
Rory is already blabbing to her, Zuri looking my way with a smile, so I slide out of the seat and head to the front.
Ollie is working at the counter. He’s cleaning his glasses when I step up. He slips them back on with a grin. “Soooo…?” he asks.
“All is good. I talked to her last night about everything. It’s a lot, of course, but she’s not going anywhere. She chose me.”
“Of course she did. You’re Aislin fucking O’Shea.”
My eyes widen because Ollie rarely ever says the word fuck. Shai walks up at the same time, clearly having heard him. “Did I just hear what I think I did?” he asks.
