dark hair fall loose from her ponytail with a harsh gust of wind, and I reach forward to push them out of her face. The moment my fingers connect with her skin, she closes her eyes and parts her lips. I slide the hair behind her ear, leaving my hand to rest along her jaw for several seconds. “Is your outlook of Seattle changing?”
She slowly opens her eyes. “Maybe a little.”
Normally, I’d take this opportunity and kiss her and push the bounds of our friendship to see what else might exist between us, but then I hear Rose’s warning, and I consider how Liv would feel about a first kiss being here in public and begrudgingly realize this isn’t the time or place.
The tour guide starts telling us about the docks and the history, and it takes every bit of my strength to focus on what he’s saying and stop focusing on the curve of Liv’s lips.
“I’m starving,” Liv says as we de-board. “Do you want to go back over by Pike’s Place and get crumpets? I really want to try the ham and cheese one.”
“I might need to replace your chocolate stash, too.”
She laughs. “You mean that white chocolate you told me you didn’t like?”
“No, it was the white chocolate I did like.”
Her laughter is contagious as she leads us toward the sidewalk.
“What are you doing for spring break?” Liv asks, flinching when another gust of wind hits us.
“I don’t know. Football, maybe going camping with Paxton, Lincoln, and Caleb?”
“You’re close with them.” It’s not a question.
“They’re like my brothers—ones I get along with,” I add. “And I’m supposed to be inviting you to dinner when you get back. Rae Rae just got an apartment with her best friend, Poppy, and they’re doing a small house warming party. She specifically asked me to invite you.”
“That was nice of her.” I have no idea if this is a clear answer, and while I’m tempted to ask, she steps into the crumpet store. It’s a small building with few seats, but being the middle of the afternoon and between lunch and dinner leaves a couple of tables in the back open. We move to one, our heads dipped over a menu as we discuss which ones sound best.
I order four different crumpet sandwiches that we cut in half and share. The crumpets are delicious, thicker and more buttery and dense than bread, and the toppings are so good we lick our fingers.
“I’m pretty sure every British tourist would be offended by these sandwiches,” Liv says, gathering our trash.
“Why?”
“Because they don’t put things like this on them. My mom was a real purist with food and making sure they were served the way they were intended.”
“I don’t know. Maybe we should send this idea to some people in England? See what they think.”
Her smile is gentle, almost sad. “You should do it shirtless. Women would be willing to try it then.”
“Are you trying to market me for my sex appeal?” I run a hand over my chest, which is covered with my sweatshirt from the Blazer’s game.
“Exploitation at its finest.” She sits across from me, both elbows on the table, hands outstretched toward the middle of the small space. “Do we have anything left with our city pass?”
“One thing left. We can choose to go to the Pacific Science Center, which Rae Rae warned is a bit geared toward kids, though I have no problem with that, or the Chihuly Garden and Glass, which no one I know has been to.”
“Which one do you want to see?” She lifts her hands to cradle her chin.
“I’m game for either one. Which do you want to see?”
She lifts her shoulders. “Maybe we choose one and go to the other one another time?”
I nod. “I like that idea.”
Liv bestows a smile on me that feels like a punch to the gut because it’s so damn beautiful. “I actually think it might be too late for either of them tonight. Raincheck on both?”
“It’s a date.”
She nods again, stealing a glance at the window. “We should go. It looks like it’s going to rain. Maybe we can beat the bad weather.”
We push our chairs in and wave good-bye to the few employees behind the counter that bid us a goodnight.
“Are they still saying it could snow?” She asks, pulling her coat tighter. “Because this feels like the Arctic.”
I laugh, grabbing one of her hands as she shivers next to me. “We only have a few blocks.” The