I climbed off slowly, still sore but less stiff than yesterday.
Ender stayed close.
Not hovering.Not smothering.Just… there.
His hand brushed my lower back as I stepped toward the Dairy Bar, steadying me more than I needed, but I didn’t move away.I liked knowing he was close enough to catch me if I tipped.
Jude parked beside us, with Penny on the back already laughing about something he’d said.Mason and Adley followed.
“See?”Jude said, glancing around.“Told you.Everyone loves the Dairy Bar.”
“I don’t trust people who don’t,” Penny added.
“Facts,” I agreed.“If you don’t like ice cream, I don’t like you.”
Adley laughed, one hand resting briefly on her stomach before she caught herself and dropped it.It was subtle.So subtle I almost missed it.
Almost.
The half barn doors were open, letting in a breeze that carried the sound of laughter and the whir of the old ceiling fans inside.The Dairy Bar had been an actual barn once, painted red with white trim, high beams overhead, and converted years ago into something halfway between nostalgic and chaotic.
There was a drive-thru window on one side, but we always ordered inside.
It felt wrong not to.
We stepped in as a group, Ender slightly behind me, his presence like a shadow that didn’t scare me, just grounded me.The bell above the door jingled.
The counter stretched along one wall, chalkboard menus above it listing flavors and specials in messy handwriting.Booths lined the opposite side, with scratched wood tables and benches that had seen decades of elbows and spilled milkshakes.
And behind the counter was a familiar face.
“Ever!”Penny called.
I smiled before I even saw her properly.
Ever had been around forever.Three years older than me, which felt like a lifetime when we were kids.Her parents owned the Dairy Bar, and she’d worked there since high school.I always thought it was cool that my dad was a biker, but it would have been even cooler if he were a biker who owned the Dairy Bar.Free ice cream for life!
She was leaning over the register, hair pulled back into a messy ponytail, and her cheeks flushed from running around making ice cream cones and milkshakes.She looked up when the bell rang.
Her eyes went straight to Jude.
I watched it happen.
The way her gaze lingered just a second longer than it needed to.The way her lips curved like she’d thought of something funny but decided not to say it out loud.
Jude, of course, was completely oblivious.
“Hey!”Penny grinned, stepping forward.“Please tell me you still make the boozy shakes.”
Ever laughed.“Depends.You planning on behaving?”
“No,” Penny and I said at the same time.
Ender leaned down slightly.“Boozy milkshake?”
I nudged him with my elbow.“I deserve it.”
He smirked.“Yeah, I guess you do, baby.”