Page 21 of More For Me

Everly:Seriously, though. COFFEE.

I pull up her contact and press call. She answers on the first ring. “You do realize there’s a coffee place three doors down from your store.”

“I know, but I don’t want to go there alone. You know they have those peanut butter cupcakes I like, and I’m totally going to have to get one because I can never resist once I see them, and it’s going to look so good that I’ll have to sit and eat it before coming back to the shop. And I don’t like eating alone, Bodhi.”

“In other words, you want me to pick up the coffee and cupcake and bring it to you.”

“Ooh, would you?” she asks, as if that wasn’t her plan all along. “That would be so sweet of you.”

I don’t know whether to laugh or be exasperated—a pretty common conundrum when it comes to Everly Ransome. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to do it, though. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve ever been able to resist this girl.

For once though, I feel a little pang. I currently have about two dozen messages waiting from her cousins, every single one of whom was able to see straight through me when it comes to her. I’ve clearly been pretty shitty at hiding how I feel.

Is this kind of thing the reason why? Do they all see me as some pathetic loser, always at her beck and call?

“Hey,” she says suddenly, cutting into the sudden morose turn of my thoughts. “You don’t actually have to. I was mostly looking for an excuse to see you. I’ve barely been home this week.”

And just like that my chest fills up with warmth. I don’t give a shit what it looks like to other people—Everly cares about me as much as I care about her. Maybe not in quite the same way, but I’m important to her.

“Of course I’ll come by and bring you a cupcake.”

“And coffee,” she says, sounding much happier.

“And coffee.”

She doesn’t bother telling me what kind of coffee before we get off the phone. We both know that I have her order memorized.

It takes me only twenty minutes to get from my school to the FEA Threads store front, which in LA time is basically right next door. The coffee shop line isn’t out of control so I’m walking through the front door of Everly’s shop less than half an hour from the time we got off the phone.

The bell tinkles as I walk into the familiar space. Everly is helping a customer but looks up when she hears it. Her face brightens and my stomach gives a great big flip. Her smile is so damn beautiful, and I love when it’s directed only at me.

She waves happily before going back to the customer. As she rings up the woman’s purchases, I walk around the store, checking out the merchandise. I’ve seen just about everything here—both on Everly’s sketch pad and then later once the prototypes were made—but there’s a rack of unfamiliar t-shirts.

I flip through them, listening to Everly’s conversation with the customer. She talks to this woman like she does everyone else—like they’ve known each other for years. She’s recommending a restaurant the next block over, talking about how amazing the truffle fries are, and I know I have a goofy ass smile on my face listening to her.

“Hey.”

I jump, heart pounding. I was so distracted listening to Everly that I hadn’t even noticed Alex joining me. She grins knowingly, and my stomach drops.

“You brought her the damn cupcake, didn’t you?”

I have the strangest urge to hide the paper bag behind my back. Instead I force myself to meet her gaze head on. “Sure. You know I love those cupcakes.”

“Uh huh.”

I don’t like the way she’s grinning at me, not one little bit.

“This wasn’t part of the plan, but I think it was a good move,” she says, and I close my eyes. Damn it.

“Please tell me they didn’t drag you into this ridiculousness.” I can almost handle River and Fox getting on my case about Everly—they’ve been doing it for years. Rose and Leo feel different, because he’s the guy who knows me better than anyone and she’s basically an extension of that. Them dragging Everly’s sisters into it was a shitty move. Those girls can’t keep a secret to save their lives.

But Alex? Alex is literally the last person on earth I would ever want to know about this insanity.

“Of course they did,” she says, looking a little hurt. “I’m Lele’s best girlfriend. How can there be a matchmaking plan without me?”

“Will you lower your voice?” I hiss, looking over my shoulder.

Alex rolls her eyes “She’s probably exchanging numbers with her new bestie over there. She didn’t hear me.”