to the web of twinkle lights that stretched between the two buildings, creating the unique glow that made people slow down in the busiest part of town. This little corner of Brown Street was usually my favorite place to be. Right now, the people taking advantage of the mild night felt too close and loud.
I hurried down the cobblestone walkway, past the benches full of people enjoying the little community we'd created with years of work. I'd been part of this since I was old enough to serve a beer and now I was leaving it behind.
All of it suddenly felt a little too real.
Myles called my name as I rushed out to the sidewalk and crossed the street. I headed to the Twisted Chicken, my favorite local shop. The tinkle of the familiar bell and briney air settled me instantly.
The girl behind the counter nodded at me and immediately started pulling a caramel latte for me.
“What’s good here?” he asked from behind me.
“Pretty much everything.” I stilled at his woodsmoke scent. How he still managed to keep that after all this time, I didn’t know. Wouldn’t he have upgraded to some pricey cologne?
Instead, he still smelled like a bonfire along the lake.
Good times. Ones that got me through a whole lot of crap during my early twenties. Laughter and friends, beer and toasted marshmallows. It shouldn’t have been a good combo, but it had been everything.
Summers on the water were some of my best memories. When things were simple and work hadn’t consumed me.
He reached around me to point to a cake pop. “Even those?”
“Especially those.” I looked over my shoulder and he was much too close. I swallowed and sidestepped him. “Little bite of heaven right there, Vaughn.”
“Then I guess I need two. And a black coffee.”
Behind the counter, Beth smiled. “Coming right up. Want anything to eat, Felicity?”
“I’ll just have a scoop of chicken salad on your house salad.”
“Got it.” She started ringing it up and Myles nudged me out of the way to pay.
I took my latte, too tired to argue. I hooked my jacket over the back of the chair and sat down gratefully. I’d been running nonstop. Between my last day and packing to get on the road in a few days, I hadn’t slept more than a few hours each night.
He sat across from me at the window with two ridiculously pink cake pops on his plate. He frowned and twirled the lollipop stick coming out of the bottom. “Is there a way to eat this manfully?”
I grinned behind my mug. “Nope.”
He lifted it and peered around the frosting and glittery sprinkles. “Only for you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t tell you to get it. Just that they were delicious.”
He held it out to me. “Want a bite?”
More than he could ever know. I could pretend to do the friend thing. Surely I could. “Nope. I have a salad.”
“Yeah, what’s up with that? You’re not dieting like the rest of the damn universe, are you?” He kicked out his long legs in that sexy lion way he’d always had about him. Silver chains peeked from behind the buttons undone on his long-sleeved shirt over his usual black T-shirt. A dagger made out of a cross tangled with a tarnished heart that looked like it had been hammered by hand. And in the middle of it all was the charm I’d given him years ago.
An eighth note with a ruby chip nestled in the center.
It looked cheap and silly with the rest of his rockstar persona, but it didn’t stop the lump trying to choke me.
“No. But I’ve had Chinese, pizza, and burgers every day this week. If I don’t have something green, I’m going to turn into a pile of salt.”
Beth brought over my salad and set it in front of me with the house vinaigrette dressing. I dug in, spearing tomato, cuke, and lettuce with a dollop of chicken salad. There was nothing better than a salad I didn’t have to make for myself.
I glanced up to find Myles giving the cake pop a stare down.
“Just eat it,” I said around a bite.
He put it down on the plate again. “No.”
I rolled my eyes and reached over to take the treat and popped it into my mouth. I groaned around the red velvet cake made with the perfect level of sweet and salt.
His eyebrow rose before his bright blue eyes went lazy and half-lidded. “So, that’s what you might sound like.”
I dropped