“Juliette,” Vivian says, dropping her fork on the table with a thud. “Yawn. Snore. It’s his birthday. Not a required history paper.”
I sigh. “I know. I know. I know.”
“What if we do something low-key around here?” she counters. “He likes things that go fast, like go-karts.” Her gaze drifts past me to the wall. “Wait. Are you hosting a workshop here?”
I follow her gaze to where Charlie had pinned the flyer two days ago.
“Yes, we are. In two days.”
“That gives you…no time to promote it.”
I smile. “I had ten slots yesterday. We booked the last one this morning.”
Vivian stares. “You’re kidding.”
“I wish. I put it up on socials, went back to watering something, and it was filled.”
She grins. “So I guess things are going well.”
“I mean,” I say carefully, “they’re not bad. He’s not horrible. He’s…nice.”
Vivian bursts out laughing. “Nice to look at.”
“And,” I add, ignoring her, “he offered us tickets to a game.”
Charlie chooses that exact moment to wander in, coffee in hand. “You should go. We had great seats. He had us right behind the team. Best seats I’ve ever had.”
Vivian winces. “I don’t know if she could handle being that close to…all of that.”
“Actually…” I hesitate. “Sawyer said he could get us a box.”
They both freeze.
“A box?” Vivian says.
“Your own box?” Charlie adds. “Like private?”
I shrug. “Not really mine, but one reserved for family and VIPs.” They stare at me like I just announced I’m casually dating royalty. And somehow, it feels just as dangerous. “Whoa, you two, slow down. He’s offering for Theo. Theo can watch on the balcony. There’s food and an inside room where I can sit and ‘listen to a podcast’ as he suggested.”
Vivian and Charlie look at each other. Then they look back at me.
“Uh,” Vivian says. “Do it. Get the box.”
“Yes,” Charlie agrees immediately. “Then we can all go.”
I hold up both hands. “You guys—A, he is not a vending machine. B, this is for Theo.Theo.Little kid, about five feet tall? And C, I hate hockey.”
Charlie smiles serenely. “Exactly why we should go, too.”
“We would be your wing people.” Vivian clucks.
I groan. “Theo is the one who actually wants to go.”
“I’ll go along anywhere, any day of the week, if you flick me some free tickets,” Vivian teases as she leans back in her chair, studying me. “Juliette. Do you understand that man is flirting with you?”
I stand up so fast my chair scrapes. “No, he’s not. Don’t start.”
“Oh, he is,” Vivian says, already gathering her things.
