AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He smiled like I’d just awarded him an A+, adding a vulnerability to his features that gave me a fluttery feeling in my chest.
He looked down at his phone. “Oh, our sushi is here. I’ll go downstairs and meet the driver. Excuse me.”
I shook my head to dislodge all thoughts of how cute it was that Adam took plant parenting so seriously and joined Ellie on the balcony.
“I would lowkey date him just for this apartment,” Ellie announced. “You’re so lucky!”
“Yeah, it’s nice.” We could see the tops of all the huge historic trees in Washington Square, framed by brick buildings. “But we’re not dating.”
Adam returned with a dozen rolls from Royal Nori, one of the best sushi spots in the city. He spread the containers out across the counter, then stood back while we served ourselves. “Can I get you anything to drink?”
“Pellegrino would be fabulous!” Ellie beamed at him.
“I just have regular water, sorry. But I could get some Delivrd?” His gaze darted between the two of us with an apprehensive expression.
Ellie waved a hand. “Oh no, regular water is fine.”
“Me too.” I smiled reassuringly at him, and his shoulders relaxed. Did he think we’d storm out because he didn’t have sparkling mineral water on hand?
“What’s all this?” Ellie pointed to the boxes stacked against the wall.
Adam set two water glasses down on the table. “Those are some things I ordered for the trip.”
“Wow!” Ellie gave me a significant look. “I was actually just telling Jenna how much shopping goes into a cruise. How much swimwear are you packing?”
I felt my face heating, but before I could tell Adam he didn’t have to answer that question, he responded. “Oh, those aren’t clothes. I’m bringing a couple of commercial-grade air purifiers, a portable autoclave, and disinfecting supplies.”
Ellie stared at him in puzzlement.
“Guess it’s an occupational hazard, being cautious about germs?” I offered.
“I just don’t want my grandma to get sick on the ship.” Adam looked down at his plate. “She took me in when I was a teenager and didn’t really have anywhere else to go.”
Ellie and I exchanged another look, this time much more tender, and I could practically hear her screaming “Aw!” in her mind because I was doing the same thing.
Adam pulled his phone out of his pocket and stared at the screen. “Oh. Um... this is awkward... It’s my grandma trying to do a video call.”
“Answer it!” Ellie urged. “You can’t send your grandma to voicemail!”
I put a finger over my lips, more of a signal to Ellie than Adam. “We’ll be quiet.”
“Right. Okay.” Adam held his phone up in front of his face and pressed the screen. “Hello.”
“Hi, Adam; it’s Grandma!” The soft, sweet voice of an older lady carried through the phone’s speaker. “My, do you look handsome! I’m so glad you taught me how to use the video camera on this phone. Is that a new shirt?”
Both Ellie and I immediately focused on Adam’s dark blue, striped button-down, the same one he’d worn at the hospital earlier.
“Uh, no, I’ve had this one for a little while. How are you feeling?”
“Never better, and just as pleased as a pig in slop that I’m going to see you and that special lady in your life in a few days. She’s not there with you, is she?”
“Actually, uh, she...” Adam gaped at his grandmother while I shifted uncomfortably in my chair. Was he going to pull me into the call?
“We don’t have time to waste chatting!” another voice chided. “The clue!”
“Sorry, Bea, you’re right,” Adam’s grandma apologized. “Adam, we’re playing a little game here at Cloverfield Reserves and I need your superpowered brain.”
“I’ll do my best to help,” Adam said quickly, seemingly relieved to have dodged the girlfriend question.
