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“Huh, and here I thought Lyra was the town sweetheart. Can dudes be the sweetheart?”
Vivian could already see the wheels turning. She would lay good money on there being a Mr. Starlight Contest in the not-so-distant future.
“Anyway,” she rushed on before he could start plotting. “I’m grabbing the girls and we’re heading over to Noah’s.”
“Where’s mini-you?”
“With the Rosses.”
Jamie opened his mouth, then—showing more wisdom than he usually did—he snapped it shut again.
“Smart move,” Vivian said as she walked away.
“I’ll just, you know, grab Cam… meet you there…”
She was still shaking her head when she finally made it to Lyra.
“What’s up?”
“We’re meeting at Noah’s.”
At the words, Lyra grinned a little. Her boyfriend, Spence, had recently moved in with Noah. Even though he was away for the weekend, she still seemed to get that little spark from heading to his space.
“Hey, I’ve got some day-afters at the store no one bought. Probably because they were all stalking the drama. Let’s swing by and grab them.”
“Speaking my love language right there.” Vivian turned to look at Skye on the second step to the stage, surveying her battlefield. “We’re going to the bakery, then to Noah’s to regroup. You in?”
Skye glanced down, her gray eyes always calm in cop-situations. “If these people will leave and go home peacefully, I’ll be right over.”
Honestly, if the government knew about Skye, there’d be world peace with her in charge.
Her sheriff knew he had gold in a uniform with her, even as her very literal brain sometimes created situations he had to—well, smooth over.
Vivian rejoined Lyra who was already waiting at the side door everyone was ignoring so they could bump into each other and gossip at the double oak doors, then the wide granite stairs outside, then the spacious grassy area that led down to the backside of the town square.
Which was absolutely too many places for someone to stop them to talk.
“This…” Lyra grinned as they walked down the old path that led past what was once the school—yes, the entire school. “This is perfect. It gives me a chance to ask about all those glances Cam was throwing your way and all your not-so-subtle attempts to dodge said glances.”
She could lie.
Lyra wouldn’t let her get away with it, but she could totally lie.
Then they’d do the dance. And Lyra would pull the friend card and start being the new non-pushover version of herself.
“We got in a fight and he said he still loves me.” That should cover it.
Lyra tripped over an invisible crack in the sidewalk and nearly took a header before Vi grabbed her arm.
“Wow.” She looked up at Vivian, eyes wide. “I guess I didn’t expect you to just spit it out. You two have absolutely no romantic subtlety between the two of you.”
Vivian rolled her eyes, afraid she’d just opened up a place for Lecture Lyra to step into.
“Which,” Lyra went on before Vi could divert her, “is exactly why you’re perfect for each other.”
Vivian should have seen it coming when they’d walked over to the meeting together. She’d definitely figured his parents would side-eye them when he’d been allMr. You Walk Ahead and I’ll Just Rest My Hand Here On Your Back.
But it was her own fault for missing Lyra.
