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Flipping her passport between her fingers, Ava stares straight ahead like she’s nervous. “So… guys, how did you decide on London?”
“Ava,” I say, carefully taking her hand, “when one doesn’t know where to go, London is always a good idea.”
“Hmmm. Isn’t that supposed to be Paris?”
Jasper turns around from the front seat. “Paris was closed. Sorry, babe.”
As the Uber heads toward JFK airport, our laughter settles and silence fills the cab. Ava’s glance moves between us guys. “Seriously, though. Why London?”
Ethan shrugs. “It seemed like the best place for us to impress you. Ya know, a foreign country, but they still speak English and stuff.”
“Ethan’s leaving out the part about pubs on every corner,” I add.
He nods. “Yes Leo, there is that…”
Ava tightens her fingers around mine and when I look, I see Ethan, on the other side of her, has taken her other hand. “So… you guys want to impress me, huh?”
“Well, that, and I knew you’d be most excited aboutmycompany,” Jasper jokes.
I fake cough. “Delusional,” I mutter.
The teasing drones on like it always does with us guys, until Ava interrupts.
“I… I have something to confess,” she says hesitantly.
The mood in the Uber shifts, but Jasper attempts to keep it light. “Wait. You really are an MI6 operative? Iknewit.” He smacks his palm to his forehead.
“Yeah, you wish. If I were, we’d be in a badass car, heading to London on a private jet.”
Ethan snaps his fingers. “Damn. I knew I’d forgotten something.”
“All right, guys. Enough playing. I want to say something that’s been on my mind for a while. I never thought I’d have the chance to say this, but now that I do, this seems as good a time as any.”
The Uber driver puts in his ear pods. He’s apparently heard too much gum-flapping for one day.
“I… have fallen for you. Each of you. In different ways, and at different moments.” She points at Jasper. “I love your sense of humor and the way you light up a room, not to mention your supposed chick-magnet glasses that are anything but.”
Jasper fake-gasps and dramatically slides his new glasses off and into his jacket pocket, his last pair broken in the scuffle with Andy
She looks at Ethan. “At first, your grumpy-ass moods scared me. But now that I know they’re just part of who you are, I think they’re kind of funny. I mean, look at you. You’re on top of the world, and you still find things to complain about.”
Ethan’s frowns like he doesn’t know whether he was just paid an insult or compliment. The rest of us just laugh.
“And you, Leo,” she says, naturally saving the best for last, “I love how you’re a self-made man who seized the opportunities that came your way, even though you are married to your work.”
Jasper points at Ethan and me. “In case you guys are wondering, what Ava’s really saying is that I’m her favorite.”
Ava bursts out laughing and slaps Jasper on the shoulder.
He waves her off. “It’s all good, darling. I’m used to being the popular one.”
“Ava,” I say, “this trip will be unforgettable. I’ve never been to London, and I’ve certainly never been to London with a girl as pretty as you.”
“Hate to tell you, Leo, but you gotta share her with the rest of us,” Ethan says.
Our Uber pulls up to the curb, and we gather the small bit of luggage we have. None of us wanted to overpack, which we stressed to Cami when she packed for Ava. We plan to keep it light and unburdened, kind of how we plan to live our lives now that Ava’s back in them.
* * *
