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“Puggie said it was hilarious.” Sunita broke into a laugh. “One girl stripped off half-naked and ran outside looking for faerie folk!”
Evie huffed into a slouch. “Great. That’s why Nick kissed me. He was fucking high!”
The sucker popped from Fiona’s lips. “Nooo! How many did he eat?”
“A few!” Evie paced. “I can’t believe this—”
“Eves! Chill!” Sunita motioned toward the funfair ticket booth.
Exasperated, she followed Sunita’s hand.
Scanning the crowd as he dashed through the obstacle course of slow walkers, Nick held a pink cloud of candy floss, which popped against his navy blue overcoat. Firecrackers of joyful relief exploded in Evie’s chest, pushing out a buoyant “He’s here!” from her throat. She waved fervently until Nick’s harried gaze landed safely on hers.
“Just in time,” Sunita mouthed to a smiling Fiona, her lips stained scarlet from her lolly.
Nick’s chest rose and fell as he slowed his sprint. “Evie!” He swallowed thickly, his eyes hooded with remorse. “Thank god you’re still here. I’m so sorry.”
Admiring his chaotic hair and apologetic grin, not to mention the flossy sugar-bomb-on-a-stick color-clashing with his purple and white polka dotted shirt, Evie broke into a smile, her first of the day. “It’s okay.”
“No, it’s really not”—he gasped, catching his breath—“I was running errands with Dad. We got stuck behind a tractor. Then his phone died during a call and he grabbed mine. Still has it, too.”
“I’m glad you’re all right,” said Evie. “I was worried when you didn’t text back.”
Nick dragged a hand through his hair. “I would’ve, but Dad was yammering on. He didn’t even shut up when he dropped me off down the road.”
“You need your license,” ordered Fiona, pointing her sucker.
How did I not know this? Evie’s mouth fell open. “You can’t drive?”
“Nope. Can you?”
“Yeah! Since I was fourteen.” She’d also been driving by his grandmother’s house and farm since she was fourteen, too, but some things were better left unsaid.
“We learn early here,” said Fiona. “Lots of fields and country roads, no traffic jams—well, not counting sheep and cows.”
“Makes sense.” Nick’s focus stalled on Sunita then slid toward Evie again. “You look so pretty.”
Her heart fizzed with happiness. Fiona let out a lovestruck “Aww!”
“This is for you.” He offered Evie the cotton candy bouquet. “An apology for being late.”
“So cute!” Fiona elbow-bumped Sunita, who was busy fidgeting with her sweater.
Accepting the paper cone wound with strands of spun sugar, Evie’s eyes shone. “This is perfect! Thank you!” She dug in her jacket pocket and produced a small bag of chewy Milk Bottles. “And these are for you.”
His grin grew. “Nice! Cheers, Evie!”
She happily returned to her candy. “I’ll take floss over flowers any day.”
“Weird but true—unless it’s daisies. Evie loves those.” An apprehensive smile graced Sunita’s face as she studied Nick. “Also weird…me being wrong for a change.”
Is this what I think it is? Evie exchanged a hopeful look with Fiona.
“Nick”—Sunita nodded—“I owe you an overdue apology. I was an obnoxious know-it-all at the beach and treated you horribly. So, you know…I’m sorry.”
The corners of his lips lifted.
“I’d like to be friends,” Sunita added. “But if that ship’s sailed, I totally understand.”
