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“Of course. Hopefully, you still like them.”

“I love them. Thank you.” She accepted the treats and tore open the end. “I’d offer you one but…”

“Yep, still not a coconut fan.”

Removing a single marshmallow, Evie tucked the package into her tote.

“Your dress is pretty.”

“Oh! Thanks.” Her grin reached her eyes. “Me and daisies…”

“Yeah. I remember that, too.” Nick’s gaze lingered, mingling with hers.

Until she glanced away.

“So…you sleeping better?” She took a substantial bite and chewed happily, flecks of coconut riding her lips.

“A bit, yeah. I blame the sea air.” Nick smiled as her tongue flicked, licking away the coconut. Christ, she’s killing me. He pointed over his shoulder. “So was that your place?”

“No, Gemma’s. You probably don’t remember her.”

“Didn’t she catch us snogging behind The Odin?”

“Yeah, that’s her!” Evie looked away quickly, but Nick still caught a hint of her bashful grin as she finished the Snowball. “She was our catering cook until the puppet crash.”

“How’s she doing?”

“Much better. Just had a second surgery on her arm.” She licked marshmallow off her fingers and pointed at the large building coming up on their right. “The library is my first stop.”

Nick followed Evie under a metal arch and down a narrow laneway to the front entrance. She picked up a recipe book on hold and was about to leave when a passing librarian called out.

“Evie, I loved your book about that singer! I’m telling everyone to read it.”

Your book? Nick turned, but Evie’s smile was for the equally smiley librarian.

“Oh, thanks, Mrs. Kumari!”

“Anything for you, love!” Sunita’s mother waved and resumed shelving books.

Evie led Nick outside. “Next two stops are on Albert Street.” They rushed across a zebra crossing and continued down the road.

Nick’s thoughts, however, were still lingering in the library. “What book was she talking about?”

“Oh. Just something I wrote.”

Happiness bubbled in his chest. “You?!”

“I do some work on the side as a ghostwriter. Sunita introduced me to a publisher when I lived in London.” They sauntered right onto a pedestrian-only lane leading to Marwick’s and the cathedral.

“Evie, that’s brilliant! What genre?”

“Biographies, mostly.”

Nick beamed, taking her in. “Holy Christ! You’re a published author!”

“I am, yeah.” With his gaze unrelenting, Evie pointed at a broken chunk of pavement. “Uh, Nick? Be careful. Tripping hazard.”

He reined in his stare with an “Oh, cheers” as he swerved the crater. “I am so chuffed for you! Wow. You writing anything now?”