Ever’s eyes flicked to him and then to me.
“Alright,” she said, clapping her hands together.“What’ll it be?”
We lined up instinctively, like we’d done this a hundred times.
“I’ll take a boozy Oreo shake,” Penny said immediately.
“Same,” I added.“But with Bailey’s instead of vodka.”
Ever nodded.“Good choice.”
Adley cleared her throat.“I’ll just do a chunky monkey sundae.”
Jude raised a brow.“No shake?”
She waved him off.“It’s two in the afternoon.I don’t need to be drinking right now.”
Ender grinned.“Since when are you responsible?”
She shot him a look.“Since today.”She glanced at Mason and scooted closer to him.Something passed between them.Quick and quiet.
I clocked it.
“Chocolate milkshake,” Jude said.“Extra thick.”He didn’t even look at Ever.
“Fruity Pebbles shake,” Mason added.
Ever laughed.“You never change.”
Ender stepped up last.“Vanilla cone.”
Penny gasped dramatically.“Boring.”
He shrugged.“Classic.”
Ever rang it all in, scribbling on a ticket.Her eyes flicked to Jude again, softer this time.He was busy digging cash out of his pocket, still clueless.
I wondered how long that would last.
We grabbed a booth near the back while Ever worked on our order.Ender slid in beside me, his thigh brushing mine.Not accidental.Not entirely deliberate either.
It felt… right.
The air was filled with the sound of blenders, laughter, and the bell at the drive-thru window dinging every few seconds.
“So,” Penny said, leaning back.“Boozy shakes in the middle of the day.We’re thriving.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jude said.“Some of us are driving.”
“And some of us were born to have fun,” she shot back.
Ever brought the drinks over and set them down with practiced ease.
The boozy shakes were tall, thick glasses with whipped cream piled high and chocolate drizzle running down the sides.Mason’s Fruity Pebbles shake was a crime against nature, with neon colors swirling together and flecks of actual fruity pebbles.Jude’s chocolate shake was a dark chocolaty brown and topped with three cherries.
“I’ll be right back with the cone and sundae,” Ever said.
Ender’s cone was a perfect swirl sitting on top of a golden cake cone.Now Adley’s sundae was a work of art.