Page 26 of I’ll Find You

I exhale slowly, already tired of the taunting. But then, she relaxes against me. She fits there too easily, as if she were made to be wedged there. After the briefest hesitation, her arm slips around my waist in return. The darkness around my heart eases, if only by a fraction.

Ezra’s eyes widen, his grin spreading as he looks between us with open fascination. “Well,” he says slowly, dragging it out, “this just got a whole lot more interesting.” I glare at him. “Besides,” he continues with a chuckle, “I wasn’t going to miss your twenty-first birthday.” He shrugs like it’s obvious. “Not in this life or the next.”

I feel Rose tense slightly against me. Immediately, my attention drops to her.

“You okay?” I murmur.

“It’s your birthday?” she asks, looking up at me.

I hold her gaze for a second before nodding. “Yeah.”

“Yeah, it is,” Ezra cuts in, grinning. “And I’m here to take my favorite cousin out on the—” He pauses, looking around. “—town?” He scratches the back of his head, clearly rethinking his birthday plans. “What is there to do here anyway?” he adds, with a frown, taking in the rural setting of this sleepy New England town.

“I’ve got an idea,” Rose says.

I look down at her, already smiling. “Yeah, babe?” I brush a loose strand of hair from her face, letting my fingers linger for just a second too long.

She hesitates just for a second, but I catch it.

“Let’s go to Margaritas,” she says, a little too quickly, already decided. “We can grab some drinks and food, and then we can go back to our place and hang out.”

Ezra’s eyebrows shoot up at that—our place comment. I don’t miss it. I also don’t correct it either. Instead, something similar to satisfaction burrows deep in my chest as I look down at her again.

“Sounds perfect,” I say, my voice quieter now. Because I see what she’s doing. Pushing past it. For me. “Best birthday ever,” I murmur against her ear, my lips brushing just beneath it before trailing lightly along the curve of her neck. She exhales softly, her hand coming up to rest against my chest. I catch it, bringing it to my mouth and pressing a slow, deliberate kiss to her knuckles.

She laughs, squirming slightly. “Stop, that tickles, you brute.” She pulls her hand away, smacking my chest playfully. I grin, leaning in to press one last, lingering kiss along her jaw.

“Ugh,” Ezra groans. “Get a room.”

Rose hides her face against my chest, laughing, and I pull her tighter into my side, unwilling to let even an inch of space come between us. Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Ezra mouthing, “Our place?”

I just shrug. Because yeah. It kind of is.

Margaritas is loud, bright, and bursting with life the second we walk in. The scent hits me instantly. It’s multi-layered and overwhelming in the best way. A server rushes past with a cast-iron skillet, and a plate sizzles as the sharp aroma of seared meat and peppers cuts through the air. Lime and tequila linger beneath it as a table nearby receives its drinks, blending with laughter and the sharp clink of silverware hitting the plates. Mariachi music drifts through the restaurant, bright trumpets and rhythmic guitars filling the space with infectious energy. The entire place feels warm, embracing, as we step in from the crisp late-fall air. It reminds me of home.

After today, I didn’t realize how much I needed this. Margaritas is exactly the kind of place that pulls you out of your head, whether you want it to or not, and after what just happened in the library and with Maxwell, I think this is a great place for us to be. Her hand is still in mine as I lead us to a booth along the wall. I don’t let go, afraid that she’ll disappear again, and I’ll be left chasing the ghost of her, so I brush my thumb over her knuckles without thought, allowing me the reminder that she’s here. Flesh and bone and mine. Just her presence is reassuring—a balm to my soul.

Ezra slides into the seat across from us, already grinning, finding his evening entertainment, and it just so happens to be at my expense. “Love this place,” he says, glancing around. “Much better. Feels more like an actual celebration we’d have back home, huh, bro?” It’s as if he’s reading my mind, especially at how very homesick I feel at the moment, and I know that’s one of the reasons he’s here on my birthday.

A server appears almost immediately, setting down chips and salsa. Ezra doesn’t hesitate, already reaching for a chip. “Three margaritas,” he says, then looks at Rose. “Unless you want something else.”

And that’s when I feel it. Her hand stills in mine. Her body goes rigid beside me. It’s subtle, but not to me. My gaze snaps to her immediately. Her expression doesn't change much, but I can tell something’s wrong.

“Actually,” she says, her voice a little too light and carefree, “I think I’ll take a beer. Dos Equis, if you have it?” The waitress nods.

I don’t hesitate. “I’ll take the same,” I tell the server calmly, cutting Ezra off before he can say anything else. Ezra looks between us, confused. I don’t care. My attention is back on her. “You good?” I murmur, low enough that only she can hear.

My thumb brushes over her knuckles again. She nods, but I don’t miss the way her shoulders are still a little too tight. I edge closer without thinking, my knee brushing hers under the table. She’s not alone. And whatever that reaction was, well, we’ll figure that out, too.

“Well, then,” Ezra comments, “that’ll be one margarita.”

The waitress asks for our IDs, and we hand them over. “Happy birthday,” she tells me. I see a little glint in her eye as she walks off.

Ezra laughs. “Ha!” He drops his fist to the table. “I bet she makes you wear a sombrero tonight as they sing to you, bro.”

I groan, and Rose chuckles beside me. “Totally gonna happen.”

As soon as the server walks away, Ezra leans forward, elbows on the table, and eyes flicking between us, waiting for this moment. “Speaking of ‘totally gonna happen.’” He pauses, clearly for dramatic effect. I already know I’m going to regret whatever comes next. “How long has this been going on?” he asks slowly, shoving more chips and salsa in his mouth.