Before I could go any longer, I needed a drink. The sun and sweat were brutal, and walking up and down those steps was not helping.
“Ace,” I called down the hall and sure enough, she popped around the corner, hands on her hips like a pint-sized general.
“What’s up?”
“I’m gonna run down the street and grab us some waters. You want anything else?”
She tapped her chin, eyes sparkling with mischief before locking on mine. “Sour Patch Kids. And Airheads. Gonna need a sugar boost if I’m gonna survive.”
I saluted her then jogged down the stairs.
A few minutes later, I was standing in the blessed A/C of the convenience store, loading my arms with snacks and bottledwater. The cold felt amazing, a tiny, unexpected break that left me feeling halfway human again.
When I got back and began climbing up the stairs, I heard voices—Ellie’s and someone else’s. A man’s. I didn’t recognize it, but it was deeper, confident. Her laugh floated down toward me, and something in my chest twisted.
I kept walking, loud enough to announce my return, but the voices only grew clearer. I turned the corner and froze when I saw him.
Tall. Broad. Standing a little too close to Ellie for my comfort. His black hair was cropped short, and he wore jeans that looked like they’d shrunk in the wash. Definitely not from around here. Anddefinitelyolder than her, easily in his mid-thirties.
I knocked on the doorframe, and both of them turned. Ellie’s face lit up with relief.
“Thank God,” she said, walking up and grabbing the bag from my hands. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“I threw in a Dr Pepper for good measure.”
She beamed. “That’s why you’re my favorite.”
I looked past her to the other guy. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t smiled. He was staring at me, eyes throwing daggers if only they could.
I stepped forward and held out my hand. “I’m Logan.”
“Miles,” he said flatly, gripping my hand with enough force to make a point. It was one of those handshakes meant to say,I’m the alpha here.I couldn’t help but laugh a little—it was so evident it was pathetic.
Toxic masculinity wasn’t a good look on anybody.
Ellie, blissfully unaware—or pretending to be—popped a handful of Sour Patch Kids into her mouth and added, “This is the guy who bought The Coffee Cup.”
I’d heard about him but had never seen him in person. I didn’t spend much time in town, only when I came to Petal Pusher or The Tequila Cowboy.
“Nice to meet you.”
He didn’t respond, just kept watching me, like he was trying to decide whether to bark or bite.
Ellie held out her candy bag to me, and I grabbed one, chewing slowly as I watched Miles. Then, to my surprise, she offered him the bag too.
That made my stomach twist.
Why was this guy even here? Why was shesharingher candy with him?
He frowned at the bag—too good for convenience-store sugar, apparently.
“That stuff is so bad for you. It’ll make you blow up like a balloon,” Miles said with a condescending laugh, shaking his head like the mere fact Ellie and I ate processed candy was some kind of personal offense.
I glanced over at Ellie. She looked at me. In perfect sync, we both shrugged.
“I’ve been eating it my whole life,” I said, smirking as I gave my abs a quick glance, “and I’m doing just fine.”
“Yeah,” Ellie added, popping another piece into her mouth. “What he said.”
