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“Seems too early to call it a night,” Lucas said when they were safely on the other side. “Do you want to grab something to eat?” Maggie nodded her head. Between the running and laughing, she was out of breath. Or it might be the feel on his warm fingers twined through hers. Or the way he’d reacted so quickly and most likely saved that child’s life. The last few minutes were a lot to take in. He’s a lot to take in, Maggie thought as she stole a glance at Lucas, but he appeared unaffected by his heroics.
“Ice cream?” she suggested.
“You’re cold and you want ice cream?”
“I always want ice cream, and if we add hot fudge, it won’t be as cold,” she said, leading him toward Moo Please. Lucas didn’t drop her hand until he opened the door for her. She shivered when he placed his hand on her lower back, encouraging her to walk in. “Sure your superhero ego can fit through the door?” she teased, needing to lighten the mood and dampen the heat radiating through her body.
“Don’t worry. But as an honest superhero I need to tell you, my ego is small compared to other things,” he said near her ear with his hand firmly rooted on her lower back. She gulped. “What’s good?”
“Everything,” Maggie said, spotting the one item on the menu she’d always wanted but had denied herself. But you don’t have to deny yourself anymore, she thought, staring at the thirty-dollar sundae. “Do you want to share?”
“I’m not big on sharing.” His eyes drilled into hers, and Maggie knew he wasn’t talking about food.
“My treat. I’ve always wanted the Super Falls Sundae, and now that I’m no longer counting every penny, I’m ready to live a little. What do you say? Feel like indulging me?”
“Sharing a bowl of ice cream with you sounds perfect,” he said solemnly. His eyebrows rose as he read the description. “Correction. Sharing a trough of ice cream.”
“Don’t forget the two types of brownies, the nuts, and the whipped cream.”
“What? No sprinkles?”
“I didn’t take you for a sprinkle kind of guy, but I’m sure they can add some.”
“No need. I’m not a sprinkle guy. Never have been and never will be. I don’t mind something pretty and colorful, but I want substance with it.”
“Oh, okay,” she stuttered, as she stepped up to place their order. Lucas grabbed a handful of napkins and two spoons and walked toward the furthest table while she caught her breath. He’s flirting with me! Her inner tween squeed. Penny was right! But I’m not telling her that.
As she watched the multi-pierced, tattooed girl build the ice cream tower, Maggie marinated in her new discovery. He didn’t want to ruin her; he wanted to know her. A kind, employed, good-looking, taller-than-her guy was interested in her. She mentally stuck her tongue out at her inner mean girl who’d taunted her with Loser ever since the baking competition. Maggie downplayed how dangerous his job was and that he lived with her brother. Maybe the bro code doesn’t apply at our age, she wondered as she handed over two twenties.
Maggie stuffed the change in the tip jar, and the girl’s eyes widened. “I’ll meet you at your table,” she said, as she carefully placed the ice cream tower on a cart.
“Holy buckets.” Lucas’s eyes widened at the cart behind her. “I’m already sick just looking at it.”
“We don’t have to eat it all,” she told him.
“Anyone ever ask for a take home container for their leftovers?” he asked the girl, and she snorted. “That’s what I thought.” He handed Maggie a spoon. “Are there instructions?” The girl laughed as she scurried away.
“Guess we eat this the same way you eat an elephant,” Maggie said, filling her spoon with the vanilla bean ice cream and scraping it though the hot chocolate pooling at the bottom.
“How’s that?”
“One spoonful at a time.”
“I hope it’s not like ice cream Jenga,” he mumbled before taking a bite. They talked about the games they’d enjoyed playing as kids. Maggie loved all card games, and it didn’t surprise her when Lucas shared his love of Battleship. Maggie didn’t like the rum raisin ice cream, and Lucas didn’t like the pumpkin. “It’s too pumpkin-y.”
“Says the man who likes pumpkin spice lattes,” she teased, licking the back of her spoon and gauging how much ice cream she’d eaten. Too much more and she’d regret it tomorrow. Maggie liked dairy more than it liked her.
“I lied, but it was for a good cause.”
“Which was?”
“Wearing you down so you’d talk to me.”
“I’m glad you did,” she admitted, as he broke into a big smile. It wasn’t a smug or victorious smile, but a happy one. Gaining her attention hadn’t been a game to him.
They ate more of the melting sundae before Lucas asked, “So, what did you mean when you said you weren’t counting all your pennies now? Did you win the Powerball?”
Chapter 13
