Page 60 of All at Once

“Yeah. I love to cook,” he confirms. “Do you?” Judging by the way his eyes glimmer suddenly, it also seems like this is a topic he could go on and on about. And that alone makes me smile.

“I like cooking,” I admit. “But I don’t think it particularly likes me back though.”

He smirks. “Maybe it’s just playing hard to get. Keep doing it if it’s something you enjoy.”

“Good point,” I say, appreciating his encouragement, but also wondering if he’d still say this if he saw the half of my clumsiness. “I’ve gotten one recipe down by heart though,” I add.

His eyes widen with intrigue. “Really? What?”

“I don’t mean to brag, but I think I make the best grilled cheese there ever was,” I reply.

He laughs at my seriousness. “That’s a pretty bold claim to make.”

“Laugh all you want. You’ll know what I mean once you try it.”

He tilts his head to the side. “Does that mean we’re having a cooking date soon?”

My heart flutters. Even though I assume we’ve gone on at least one date already, Enrique’s never referred to them as one untilnow. My nonchalance slowly withers away, my wide smile peeking through, learning that this wasn’tjustall in my head. “Only if we get that smoothie soon,” I tease.

“Done,” he says with a smile. “The juice bar that we’re going to has the best banana peach smoothie.”

My eyes light up. “Ilovebananas,” I reply with my last few brain cells functioning at the moment.

There’s absolutelynoreason for me to have said that in such an awkward way other than I’m holding hands with my crush who I think I might be dating now, while we’re on what feels like a 30-mile hike,allon my lovely period.

I’m relieved that Enrique seems to have moved past our awkward first kiss. But as we continue to walk, a tiny wave of melancholy hits me, my smile now fading a bit. Remembering the pain I was in earlier, a small part of me feels a little disappointed that he hasn’t asked me how I’m feeling since yesterday.

Quickly brushing it off though, I remind myself that he’s just busy, his mind preoccupied.

CHAPTER 10

“Invisible String” – Taylor Swift

I MEET LUCA THE FOLLOWING evening at the resort’s seafront to set up everything for our makeshift bonfire. To my delight, the spot Enrique suggested really is covered in twinkling lights.

I try my best to contribute, although it’s not that easy considering how my mind’s still on the hike and specifically what followed after it.

Enrique and I shared a somewhat less awkward kiss when he dropped me off.

Actually, it was pretty hot. Well, after the first minute or so, considering I’m the one who initiated the kiss. Which I assumed was what Enrique wanted anyway, given how I stopped our first one, and that he seemed pretty enthusiastic about the whole thing as soon as our lips touched again.

Luca must notice my sluggish pace and wistful smile as I’m placing the blankets onto the sand when he takes a guess, “Eitherthose blankets are more interesting than I thought, or things are going pretty well since yesterday.”

Lifting my dazed grin, I reply, “Things are going better than I thought for once.”

“Good. I’m glad.”

“But, there are some moments where I notice things get quiet, and it feels awkward. Then I become even more awkward trying to figure out if there is something else I need to say. And then I can’t stop talking.”

“You?Continuously talking?” He raises a brow at me. “If you’re going to lie, at leasttryto be more realistic about it.”

Luca has this tendency to make me want to roll my eyes and laugh at the same time, all while forgetting what I was even talking about in the first place. Like rightnow.

But I have to admit, it helps when I start to get in my head about things.

“I wouldn’t worry too much about awkward silence,” he adds. “It sounds like you’re getting along just fine.”

Remembering his initial reaction to my awkwardness around his friend, I ask, “Were you entertained by how badly I was struggling to make a move on Enrique?”

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