Page 222 of Worth the Trip

“He got you.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“You forgot your comeback.”

“I was deciding whether he deserved one.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“Nolani.”

“Yes?”

“Find something to do.”

“I have something.”

“What?”

“Watching this.” Her stare sharpened. I smiled. “He’s handsome.”

“That is irrelevant.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

She turned toward the register and muttered just low enough that she clearly hoped I wouldn’t hear her.

“He is fine though.” My head snapped toward her. Nyla pointed at me without turning around. “You heard nothing.”

“Oh, I heard everything.”

“Go find Big Lando.”

I looked toward the field.

“Gladly.”

Malcolm came back from Crème & Chill holding brown sugar praline and wearing an expression no cup of ice cream had created by itself.

I watched him take another bite. “You went over there for dessert or conversation?”

“Both.”

“That productive?”

“Hell yeah.”

I glanced toward the booth. Nolani stood near the Scoops & Stories display, helping a mother while two little girls flipped through books beside her. Nyla had returned to the register, looking entirely too composed for whatever apparently happened five minutes earlier.

“You learned her name.”

“Yep.”

“That fast?”

“She made me work for it.”