Page 117 of Thorn Kiss
Oh god. She knew.
“Hey, stranger,” Avery said slowly. “I see you brought goods.”
“I sure did.” I set the pizzas down on a clear spot on one of the tables and planted my hands on my hips, looking over at Laura. She was currently nestled in a giant beanbag with an old Gameboy balanced on her knee. “Hey, kiddo. How’s the hand?”
“Good,” she said. She held it up, and it was significantly less bandaged. “It’s been fine. It’s healing fast. I was supposed to go to cheerleading practice after school but it got rained out and I can’t go anyways because of my hand so Avery and June picked me up because dad had to go do something so now I’m here to help. Although, I don’t think I’ll be much help.”
The kid could spit out an impressive run-on sentence.
“Just keep playing Mario,” Avery said.
“It’s hard with one hand. I keep losing.”
June had yet to look up at me, but I realized why. She was wearing headphones and was in focus mode.
Eventually the smell of pizza would get her attention, but I decided to kiss her on the forehead instead. Under the scrutiny of my all-too-knowing sister, I placed my hand gently on the back of June’s chair and did my best not to startle her. Her head whipped up, her eyes losing the razor focus. Initially she scowled, but then it melted into a smile as I leaned down and pressed my lips to her forehead.
She smelled like roses. Sweet, as always.
“Howdy,” I said.
She pulled off her headphones. I wasn’t surprised to hear Madonna crooning in her ear at a volume that should have been illegal. “Hi,” she breathed out. “Uhhh . . .”
“I see we’re having a party,” I said. “I brought pizza.”
“Oh good.” She blinked a few times, her cheeks turning red as I gave her shoulder a squeeze. For a moment, she melted. But then I watched the armor go up, her spine stiffening. “You know how to make arrangements, right, Whynot?”
Whynot.She quipped my last name like a coach.
I suppressed a laugh. June was half my size but had her boss cap on right now. She could tell me to get on my knees, and I’d do it.
I shoved that mental image away before it could take root.
“I’ve done it a few times,” I said. “If you recall, I am part of your Valentine’s Day flower and teddy bear army. Should I call for reinforcements?”
“Avery already called us all in,” a fresh voice said.
I glanced up as Evie entered the back room. Her hair was pulled up tight, but she hadn’t been hit by a single drop of rain.
“How in the hell did you escape the rain?” I asked.
“It’s called an umbrella, Whynot,” she snorted. “June had a post go viral about her mums and got two hundred online orders overnight. Which she finally decided to tell Avery and I about an hour ago.”
June made a face. “I had it handled.”
All three of us looked at her.
“You had to pause orders so no more could come in,” Evie said.
“What?” My eyes bulged. “Are you kidding?”
“Nope,” Avery called. “We’ve got more help coming. Levi and Mateo will be here soon. So will Austin. We’re in crisis mode.”
“Can I have pizza?” Laura asked.
I glanced at June for an answer and she slid off her stool. Her balance was a little unsteady and I reached for her, giving her a hard chest to knock into.
Was she going to act like nothing happened between us while our friends were around?
