Page 12 of Happily Ever Never

I crossed the street as soon as the light changed and keptgoing, ignoring the looks from a few drunk guys as they made their way from barto bar.

One called out to me, and I kept moving, grateful I’d wornflats rather than heels tonight. That reminded me of my broken shoe at the parkand the fact that Leo had fixed it with a paperclip of all things.

I would never forget the fear of not being able to find Lukewhen he ran off because he saw Leo.

His parents had given him a verbal lashing when we got home,even if it had been in soft tones with the lesson involved. But when I toldthem about the incident, they were just as scared as I was.

I was so grateful that Leo had been there and that it hadn’tbeen some strangers who could’ve plucked Luke out of the park without meseeing—all because I had been too slow with my broken shoe.

So, I was wearing flats now and walking into Taboo, a littlecafé I adored.

It was late enough that the owner, Hailey, wasn’t working.She was probably home with her husband and kids, all of them enjoying theirevening together. I liked the woman and everybody who worked here. Taboo waswelcoming, homey, and part of the Montgomery family—like I felt I was slowlybecoming.

“May?”

I looked at a familiar face and smiled at Daisy Knight.Though her last name wasn’t technically Montgomery, her stepmother was one. So,in my brain, she was Daisy Montgomery.

I smiled, went over to the other woman, and held out myarms. Daisy hugged me hard—so hard I knew she was probably dealing with issuesof her own. In fact, I knew a few of those things, so I let her squeeze,knowing she likely needed to breathe just like I did.

“I didn’t know you were coming in tonight.”

I shrugged as I looked over at the other woman and shook myhead. “I didn’t know I was either. Weird night.”

“Let me guess, bad date?” she asked.

“Of course. I don’t do regular dates. We know this.”

“That’s silly. You’re a gorgeous, sweet, brilliant, andamazing person. Those guys are missing out.”

“If you say so. At this point, I think I stop at firstdates.”

Daisy shook her head and gestured in front of her. “Here, take a seat. I was going to get myself another cupcake. Doyou want one?”

I thought of my full dinner and the dessert I’d just shared,and my stomach felt like lead. “I could use a decaf latte.”

“That, I can do.”

“One red velvet cupcake, and a decaf latte, coming up,” Jay,the barista behind the counter, said as he waved to us before going to work.

“Got to love the service here,” Daisy said as she sat acrossfrom me, studying my face.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s the same as usual. Bad date. So now I’m here, noteating my worries but drinking them. In the form of a latte. Not booze.”

“Well, if you want to head to the bar, I know a couple hereowned by extended family members.”

I rolled my eyes. “Of course, the Montgomerysown bars. Or at least friends of the Montgomerys. Whywouldn’t there be a type of business in every field out there run by yourfamily?”

“We’re taking over the world, one slice at a time.”

“Is that on the business cards?”

“It was in the contract we signed when we started workingfor Montgomery Ink Legacy,” a familiar voice said as he walked toward ourbooth.

I stiffened ever so slightly, and Daisy gave me a weird lookbefore grinning at Leo, Tristan, and Taryn.

“You’re here. I was hoping you’d make it in tonight.” Shescooted farther into the booth as Taryn sat next to her. I moved as well,viscerally aware that Leo sat next to me. Tristan pulled up a chair at the endof the booth, and we all said our hellos. I did my best not to think about thefact that Leo’s arm was almost touching mine.