AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Once they’d finished eating, they quickly cleaned up the remnants of their meal. Then, after a brief discussion, Charli decided to take her car with Layla while Janessa said she’d ride with Aria and Gareth.
“Unless you’d rather I didn’t come with you,” Janessa said as she bumped Aria’s arm with her elbow as they got ready to go.
“It’s fine with me,” Aria assured her.
And that was the truth. She and Gareth might still be getting to know each other, but the ride to the school was so short, having Janessa with them wouldn’t interrupt any sort of intimate conversation.
The noise that greeted them as they walked into the gym made Aria smile since it was just a taste of the excitement to come. It didn’t take them long to find the other members of the Halverson family, though the parents were missing from the bleachers for the first time since Aria had arrived in Serenity.
As they filed into the row Wilder and Kayleigh had saved for them, Aria wondered if it was a good idea for Gareth to sit next to her. Well, it was an excellent idea, if not for the possibility of Nora showing up.
Once they were seated, Aria turned to Gareth and said, “Do you think it’s okay for us to sit next to each other?”
He obviously hadn’t heard her question over the noise because he slid his arm around her shoulders, then bent his head closer to hers. His cologne teased her nose, and she fought the urge to inhale more deeply. And more than anything, she just wanted to lean into his strength and nearness.
But instead, she repeated her question. He gave a small nod, then turned so that he could speak closer to her ear. “I think it will be fine.”
When he sat back a bit, his arm slid from around her shoulders, leaving Aria feeling bereft. He lifted his brows, and she nodded, agreeing with his response.
She wanted to enjoy the evening without worrying about how she was acting toward Gareth in case Nora happened to show up. Since Gareth didn’t seem concerned, she’d take her cues from him.
And throughout the game, Gareth’s cues were definitely that he wanted to be close to her, and he didn’t really seem too worried about who might see them. Aria let her own worries fade away under the excitement of the game and cheering Cole and his team on to victory yet again.
“Do you want to get some ice cream or maybe some hot chocolate?” Gareth asked as they walked out of the high school after the game.
“I could definitely go for a hot chocolate,” she said. “I’m not sure about ice cream when it’s this cold.”
Gareth laughed. “If we waited until it was warm to eat ice cream, we’d be deprived for at least three or four months.”
“You are definitely an ice cream fan.”
“Aren’t you?” Gareth asked as he opened the passenger door of his car.
Aria stepped into the opening between the car and the door, then turned to face him. “Is it a deal breaker if I’m not?”
Gareth pressed a hand to his heart. “I don’t know. Not like ice cream? That might be a serious incompatibility.”
“But wouldn’t that mean there would be more ice cream for you?”
“I suppose that’s true.” Gareth grinned at her. “Do you really not like ice cream?”
“It’s not that I don’t like it,” Aria said. “It’s just not my favorite sweet treat.”
“I guess I can live with that.”
“I’m so glad to hear it.”
Aria was still smiling as he slid behind the wheel and started up the SUV. Though there were so many things she found attractive about Gareth, his lighthearted interactions with her lifted her spirits. She had never been with a guy who made her smile or laugh the way Gareth did.
Gareth drove to a small, warmly lit building and parked in the lot next to it. “This is my favorite place to get ice cream, but they have plenty of other sweets for those who have no taste for ice cream.”
They continued their lighthearted teasing as they made their way into the building. Inside, it was warm, and a sweet smell lingered in the air. There were a few people seated at the small bistro style tables that were scattered throughout the room.
Together, they approached the counter, where a young woman greeted them. Her braces flashed as she gave them a wide smile.
“Hi, Doctor H,” she said, her curious gaze moving between the two of them.
“Hello, Jeannie,” Gareth responded. “How’s life going?”
