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“Yeah, but the basil—”
“Oh man,” Terrell said, elbowing his buddy. “New Year’s Eve, like, five years ago.”
“Yeah!” The dude’s eyes lit up. He waved a hand at Han. “The one you did at the park.”
“Fried turkey,” Han agreed. “Seriously, guys, that was nothing like this.”
“Didn’t you have little pastries? I swear there was, like, basil in them like this.”
“The basil is in the sauce.” Han was smiling again now, which was something.
“Oh! Oh!” Terrell held up a finger. “Wasn’t that the year we were picking gravel out of the cupcakes?”
“Man, who baked those?”
“Pretty sure it was me.” Bobbi grinned.
“They were so good, it was totally worth it, even when—”
Devin slammed his plate down on the counter. His fork clattered against the china. Ling-Ling whined.
Suddenly, everyone got quiet.
Zoe sucked in a breath. Devin’s face had turned a shade of purple. Thunderheads colored his eyes.
“What?” she asked.
Devin’s gaze connected with hers for a fraction of a second, and it was like an iron band closed around her heart.
Devin glanced away. “Excuse me.”
He stalked off. Zoe put her plate down. The band around her heart released, but it was replaced by a freaking jackrabbit, jumping up and down on the insides of her chest so fast, she could hardly breathe. She gripped the edge of the counter she’d been leaning against until her knuckles turned white.
Everything in her told her to follow him. His gaze was seared into her. His eyes had looked soangry.
But more than that, he’d looked so…
Lost.
A door slammed in the distance, and Zoe squeezed the counter even tighter. Han smacked himself in the forehead, then reached over to cuff Terrell on the back of his head, too.
“Ow—”
“Devin’s dad,” Han hissed. “Remember?”
“Wait.” Zoe should shut up, but she couldn’t. “What—”
Han shook his head.
Wincing, Terrell scrubbed at his face. “Oh, right. Crap.”
Quietly, Bobbi turned to Zoe. “Devin’s dad showed up drunk. He knocked over the cupcakes.”
“Said some really awful stuff, too,” Han added.
Zoe stared toward the corner Devin had disappeared around. It was like she was being yanked in that direction. He’d told her the other night that his dad wasn’t a good guy, but seeing his reaction to someone bringing up that memory now…
She bit the inside of her lip.
