Page 2 of Fallen Flame

“You two were alone.”

“Yep.”

“She told you since you were stuck with her, you should have a little fun.”

“Yep.”

“And then...”

I shrugged. “I told her goodnight.”

Arlo blinked. “...That’s it?”

“That’s it.”

Silence.

Thorn slowly lowered the towel he’d been drying another glass with. “Holy shit, she served it up to you on a silver platter, and you fumbled the fuck out of her.”

I rolled my eyes. “Oh, don’t start.”

“I’m serious.” Thorn pointed the towel at me. “I thought Arlo was messing with me.”

“He wishes.”

“I do wish,” Arlo muttered. “Because that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard this week.”

“It isn’t dumb.”

“It absolutely is.”

I took another drink. “It wasn’t like that.”

Arlo barked out a laugh. “It sounded exactly like that.”

“You weren’t there.”

“I didn’t have to be.”

Thorn leaned against the back counter. “I wasn’t there either, but from everything you said...” He lifted both hands. “I’m with Arlo.”

I looked between the two of them. “You guys are impossible.”

“No,” Arlo corrected. “You’re impossible.” He jabbed a finger toward me. “You’ve known Lark for years.”

“I’ve known of her.”

“You know what I mean.”

I did.

Lark had worked at the Dairy Bar forever. Between grabbing food, helping Ever out once in a while, and club events, I’d seen her more times than I could count.

She’d always been... Lark.

Laughing.

Talking.