She burst out laughing, looping her fingers through mine. “That was iconic, and you know it.”
Honestly, it was one of the best nights I’d had in a while. One that none of us will forget, that’s for sure.
We walked up the wooden ramp and into the cool, sweet-smelling shop. I kept my hand on the small of her back, guiding her in. She paused just inside, scanning the chalkboard menu above the counter. I stepped in close behind her, wrapping my arms gently around her waist and resting my chin on top of her head.
“Let me guess,” I murmured, lips brushing her hair. “Mint chocolate chip with gummy bears?”
“Bingo,” she said. “But this time, I’m getting a cone instead of a cup.”
“You rebel,” I whispered, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.
We stepped forward as the surly teenager behind the cooler pointed at us, unimpressed.
“What do ya want?” she asked, wiping her forehead with the back of her arm.
“I’ll take cookies and cream, medium, in a bowl. And she’ll have mint chocolate chip with gummy bears, in a cone.”
“What he said,” Ellie added, patting my arm like a proud partner.
The teenager rolled her eyes and got to work. She was clearly managing the entire operation solo, while an older woman with a bright smile handled the register, beaming at us.
Ellie reached into her purse and handed over her card before I could say a word.
“Hey—” I started to protest.
She shot me a look. “I said, I’m treating you.”
I didn’t put up a fight because the determination in her eyes told. I thought it was most definitely a losing battle.
Ice cream in hand, we stepped back out into the warm, golden air. The sidewalks of Main Street shimmered in the heat as we started toward the park, walking side by side.
“Thanks for the treat, Ace,” I said, scooping a bite of my ice cream.
“Thanks for coming with me,” she replied, tucking herself closer against my side. Our steps fell into an easy rhythm, like we’d done this a hundred times before.
It was clear neither of us cared who saw us together around town, and that felt damn refreshing.
Ellie, who just weeks ago had been so anxious about being back here, worried about judgment and small-town whispers, now walked beside me with confidence. That shift in her, subtle but sure, filled me with something close to pride.
I stopped our movements and reached down, cupped her face in my palm to kiss her—quick, soft pecks that left her lips parted when I pulled away. I stared straight into her eyes, searching, steady.
We hadn’t brought up the L-word since I said it the other night. Neither of us had touched it since. But standing there,under the setting sun with chocolate smeared at the corner of her mouth, she looked so damn beautiful, so utterly mine, it was hard not to say it again.
Before I could decide whether to speak, Ellie suddenly tensed. Her eyes went wide, then she let out a little yelp and grabbed the front of my T-shirt, dragging me into the narrow alley we were standing near.
She pinned me gently against the brick wall, her expression a cocktail of panic and adrenaline.
“What was that about?” I asked, blinking at the sudden shift. One second, I was kissing her in the open air; the next, I was tucked into shadows.
“Boone and Aspen just came out of the pizza place,” she whispered, biting her bottom lip as if she’d been caught red-handed. “I panicked.”
So much for not caring who saw us.
I kept my hands lightly on her waist, steadying her. I understood her instinct. No one really knew what this was between us yet. We hadn’t said it out loud, not even to ourselves. The only person who knew anything was Mac—who, thank God, was a vault.
Ellie took a long lick of her ice cream, eyes darting around the corner like we were fugitives.
“Do you want them to know?” I asked, my voice low. I wasn’t just asking for her peace of mind. I needed to know too, for my own clarity.
