A cute bell jingled as I stepped inside, where the air carried mouthwatering scents of espresso, sugar, and warm bread.
I spotted Avery immediately. She was standing near the counter, blond hair falling straight over her shoulders, blue-green eyes already locked on mine like she’d been tracking the door. She smiled—warm and easy, the kind where people trusted her without thinking—and lifted a hand toward a corner table by the window she’d clearly claimed for us.
I made my way over, dropping into the seat just as she accepted two cappuccinos from the barista. Steam curled upward in delicate spirals as she crossed the café and set one in front of me.
She studied me with a grin that was far too satisfied for ten in the morning. “Bold move Friday night.”
I’d messaged her Saturday morning, but this was the first chance we’d really had to unpack everything. I wrapped my hands around the mug, welcoming the warmth. “It was time.”
Avery’s smile widened. “Oh, it definitely was.”
I hesitated. “You think we overdid it?”
“Please. With the players we’re dealing with, it was the only strategic move.” She leaned back in the booth. “Elise and Nina were here earlier. Elise was furious.”
My fingers tightened around the ceramic. “Here?”
“Right over there.” She gestured toward the far table. “Loud enough that half the café could’ve joined the conversation.”
A small, dangerous flicker sparked in my chest. “About us.”
“About you,” Avery corrected gently. “And about Luke choosing a side at the gala. Elise was livid.” Avery lifted her cappuccino. “She did not enjoy the two of you being together, or him claiming you as his girlfriend when that’s what she wants for herself.”
I shrugged. I didn’t really care about how she felt, I only worried about the fallout if Luke and I weren’t able to manipulate things the way we’d planned.
Avery leaned back, crossing one leg beneath her. “So. Since you’ve officially detonated the social hierarchy… how are things with you and Jax’s favorite teammate?”
I deflected instinctively. “How are things with you and Jax?”
Her entire expression transformed. Sunlight caught in her eyes as her mouth curved into something soft and happy. “Things are good. Really good.”
My lips curved in response before I could stop them. “Define good.”
She leaned forward conspiratorially, lowering her voice. “We ditched the gala.”
I laughed. “Yeah, we didn’t see you there.”
“Best decision of my life,” she continued. “We went to the Grill Shack instead. Just us. Burgers. Zero donors pretending to care about philanthropy.”
“That sounds perfect.”
“It got better.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, trying and failing to hide the glow radiating off her. “After, he took me to the rink.”
My brows lifted. “At night?”
“It was empty,” she confirmed. “The lights were low, and he had music playing through the speakers—totally set the mood.”
The image unfolded easily—Jax’s intense energy softened by something private with the girl he’d crushed on for so long.
“We skated and talked for hours,” she went on. “Just… us. It was perfect.”
My chest tightened in the best way.
“And when he kissed me—” She pressed her hand dramatically to her heart. “Incredible.”
I grinned. “Incredible?”
“Incredible.” Her eyes flashed. “But we’re taking it slow.” A deliberate pause before she winked. “For now.”