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Macy
I stare at the frosted animal cookie perched on top of my melting tornado. A stream of vanilla ice cream mixed with pink frosting trickles down the side of my cup. I hardly register it in time to catch it with a napkin.
“This better be a good omen,” Everleigh says, sliding into the booth across from me. “Jesus, I sound like Nadia,” she adds in a mumble.
“I have to admit, I’m a little surprised you two got along so well.” Nadia and Everleigh are complete opposites. Every time Nadia mentioned manifesting or raising the vibration during her too-brief visit to Emerald Creek, Everleigh cursed under her breath. Now that Nadia’s been gone a couple of days, I think Everleigh might actually miss her.
“She gets under my skin in a good way.” Everleigh stares at the sinking cookie on top of my ice cream. “If you don’t eat it, I will.”
I swipe the cow-shaped cookie half a second before she beats me to it and hold it up in mock toast. “To the future,” I say cryptically, thoroughly enjoying her annoyance. After she, Nadia, Ryder, and Gertie stopped me from leaving town, I called the clinic and requested another week off to stay in Emerald Creek. I wanted to take my time with this decision.
“I’m supposed to be the dramatic one,” Everleigh says with an excessively heavy sigh to ensure I feel her frustration.
“I made Ryder a promise,” I remind her.
“If you don’t tell me second, I will murder you in your sleep,” she says with a Cheshire cat grin.
I’m not about to admit that I told Gertie my decision first. But I know that mischievous goat will keep my secret. At least from the humans. When I left Gumby this morning, it seemed like he knew.
“Once I tell Ryder, I promise you’ll be the next to know.” I glance toward the door even though it’s fifteen minutes before our agreed upon meeting time. Everleigh follows my gaze.
“God, you two are sickeningly sweet,” she playfully grumbles.
One decision I didn’t need any help making was to stop pretending like I didn’t love Ryder and lean all the way into what’s blossoming between us. We’ve been inseparable most of my extended visit. Though plenty of that time has been spent missing clothes, we’ve spent a lot of time together around the animals. Each time he shares an idea with me about the future animal sanctuary, I think I fall a little more in love with him. Beneath his rigid, grumpy exterior, the man has a heart of gold.
“You could have this too,” I say, only half teasing.
Everleigh narrows her eyes at me, as though sizing me up. “Is that so we can go on double dates together or because you want to make sure I’m not lonely when you’re all the way in fucking Colorado curing cancer?”
“Nice try.”
“I hate that you’re so good at keeping this secret.”
“I only decided this morning.”
“And you didn’t tell Ryder over pillow talk? Because if you did, you should definitely tell me right now.”
“We were too busy doing other things.” Our mouths, hands, and all other body parts were preoccupied. A delightful shiver courses through me at the memory of Ryder flickering his blue-gray gaze up to me from between my legs.
“You horn dog, you.”
“Don’t be a hater,” I tease, dipping my spoon into my melting We Got Cows tornado and taking a bite. This ice cream is the fucking best. It’s why I chose the diner to make my announcement. Whether I decided to stay or go, I wanted to get my fix. I let out a long, unapologetic moan as the sugary dessert hits my tongue.
“If I wasn’t allergic to commitment and all that sappy shit, I’d actually be a little jealous.”
“You deserve to be happy too, Ev,” I say, meaning it.
“I am happy.”
I stare at her until she looks up at me. “Are you?”
“Oh look, your cowboy in shining armor is here.” Everleigh shimmies out of the booth, pointing a finger at me. “You tell me second or else.”
“Duh.”
My pulse triples as Ryder struts toward the booth. I’m tempted to slide out of my seat and go to him. My lips crave his kiss even though they’re still a bit bruised from all the kissing we did instead of sleeping. Make-out sex really is my favorite. I look up at him, catching his gray-blue eyes. Will I always feel this drawn to him?
“Your ice cream’s melting, sweetheart.” He nods toward my cup as he slides into the booth across from me, and I notice another runaway trickle. “Hope this isn’t a bad omen.”
