“So is yours.”
“Yeah, but at least mine’s left the country.”
“Valid point.” Art bumps his shoulder to mine, and we make our way back out front until we’re standing in front of Dante’s.
“Look at us, just two lone members keeping the Silver Spoon Survivors’ Club alive.”
He holds out his fist and I bump it, then we clasp hands, pull in, and knock shoulders—the same stupid handshake we made up when we thought a pact between two kids whose dads loved power more than their sons called for a secret society.
We swore we’d never become them.
The front door of Dante’s swings open, and Juliette steps out with Roman at her side, Felicity and Alex trailing behind.
“There you are,” Juliette says, her voice clipped. “We’re leaving.”
I ignore her because Roman’s staring at Art and me with his mouth hanging open. “Was that a secret handshake?”
“No,” I say.
“Thatwasa secret handshake.” He spins to Juliette, gesturing at us.
“It did look choreographed,” Felicity adds.
“Thank you, Felicity,” Roman says.
Juliette glares at me like this is my fault. “Great. See what you’ve done?”
“I don’t even know what’s going on.” I throw my hands in the air.
“I’ve beenbeggingyou for months, and you told me it’s something adults don’t do. But these two get to have one?” Roman gestures at us again.
“We’ve had it since we were eight,” Art offers.
“Exactly!” Roman says. “I bet you were a Boy Scout, too, weren’t you?”
Art grins. “You know it.”
“For what it’s worth,” Alex chimes in. “I think handshakes are a valid form of emotional expression.”
“Alex,shut up.” Juliette smacks him in the head.
“Fee?” he asks. “You and me? We could workshop something.”
“Sorry, I’ve already got a handshake with Roman, and one’s my limit.”
Juliette’s mouth drops now and she spins out from under Roman’s arm. “You and Felicity made ahandshake? Without me?”
“You didn’t want one.” A smirk spreads across his face. “Besides, our emotional expression involves different body parts, Little Rose.”
Alex gags. “And just like that, I’m out.”
Felicity sighs. “I should head out, too. Got some stuff to handle.”
The group splinters. Roman and Juliette walk toward his car after she makes me promise to call her. Alex tries to convince Felicity to let him walk her home.
Art lingers.
I shove my hands in my pockets.