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“There are so many ice cream shops.” Her implication was clear. Why did Annapolis need a new one?
“I heard this one is different,” I said as I opened the door for her.
Inside, the floors were a black-and-white tile, the shelves behind the long counter filled with jars of candy and containers of juice.
“They offer fountain sodas,” Hailey squealed as she stared at the menu.
“You can make any drink a float,” I said, reading the sign.
There was ice cream, cookies, and fountain sodas. It was unique compared to the other options on Main Street.
The shop filled up after we’d walked in, so she stood in front of me. “You ready to order?”
Hailey nodded eagerly.
Someone walked by, jostling her, and she fell into my body. I wrapped a hand around her hip, steading her. Her shirt slipped up, and my finger grazed the bare skin of her side. I wanted to move it up, palming her flat stomach, and higher still. Instead, I let her move away when the couple in front of us finished their order and moved to the side to wait.
Hailey ordered a root beer float, and I ordered a lemon-lime one with gummy bears.
Finding a spot in the corner, I grabbed some napkins and sat across from her. Her lips were lifted in amusement. “Gummy bears?”
I tipped my head to the side. “You can’t have ice cream without them.”
“Are you serious?” Her eyes were wide, and amusement danced on her face.
“You don’t feel the same?” It was something I always ordered with my ice cream.
“So, you’re what…feeding your inner child?”
“I never thought of it that way, but yeah. We didn’t go to places like this.”
“It’s a great addition to Annapolis.” Next to us, a little girl sat on the chair, swinging her legs like a pendulum, sucking on her straw.
“I think it will do well here.”
I didn’t want to bring up her worries over her store. I wanted her to feel good tonight. I didn’t want to examine too closely why that was.
When our drinks arrived, Hailey nodded toward my green soda. “How is it?”
I took a tentative sip. “Not bad.”
“Can I try it?’ Hailey asked.
“Only if I can try yours,” I teased.
She pushed her glass toward me, and I did the same. “Classic,” I said, sipping her root beer float.
“Next time, I’ll be more adventurous because yours is surprisingly good.” Her cheeks were slightly pink.
“Next time, we should each get a new flavor and share. That way, we can try different ones.” It was a ridiculous suggestion because this wasn’t a date. Something told me she was reluctant to try new things and stayed with what was familiar and safe. I didn’t blame her. Her past shaped her future, but I wanted to be the one who showed her what else was out there.
Finally, she said, “I’d like that.”
Had I just asked her out? Had she just said yes? Or was this something friends did? I looked around the space, and there were parents with kids and couples. A group of girls walked in together, and I sighed in relief.
Corey walked in then, the perfect distraction.
“You want one?” I asked when he approached our table.
