Page 47 of Fallen Flame

I turned toward the common area and froze. Arlo leaned against the end of the bar with a coffee cup in one hand. He was watching us with a slow, knowing smirk stretched across his face.

He didn’t say a word.

Somehow, that was worse.

Oliver followed my stare and looked over his shoulder. “Don’t,” he warned.

Arlo lifted his cup and took a drink. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You were going to.”

“Maybe.”

Oliver stared at him.

Arlo’s smirk widened.

I pressed my lips together to keep from laughing.

Wrecker’s voice carried through the room again. “Now.”

Oliver looked back at me.

“I need to go.”

“I gathered that.”

“We’ll head to the Dairy Bar when we’re done.”

I nodded. “Okay.”

His gaze lingered on me for another second before he turned and followed Arlo toward the hallway leading to church.

Arlo glanced back once, still smirking.

I pointed at him. “Not one word.”

He made a motion like he was zipping his lips, then he disappeared down the hallway.

I turned back to the counter and stared at the bowl. My hands were still a little unsteady when I grabbed the cereal box. “Well,” I whispered, “that was far from normal.” I poured cereal into the bowl, added milk, and carried it into the common area.

Alice and Nikki sat at one of the long tables with coffee mugs in front of them. Alice was scrolling through something on her phone while Nikki picked at a piece of toast.

“Morning, Lark,” Alice called.

“Morning,” Nikki added.

I smiled and slid into the chair across from them. “Morning.”

Nikki looked up at me. Just looked. There was nothing suspicious in her expression. Nothing knowing. Which was good, because I had spent the last few days having extremely indecent thoughts about her son.

Not mild thoughts either. Very detailed thoughts involving his hands, his chest, and what might’ve happened if Wrecker hadn’t yelled for church.

I shoved a spoonful of cereal into my mouth before my face could give me away.

Alice glanced over at Nikki’s plate. “Are you going to eat that toast or stare at it until it gets uncomfortable?”

Nikki looked down. “I’m eating it.”