Page 119 of Only Fate

“Oh, look at you, getting the small-town manners down.”

“I’d like to inform you that my abuela taught me those manners decades ago.”

“Mm-hmm.”

“If we’re going with your reasoning, then it seems I was built for the small-town life here, then, huh?”

I frown when she ducks out of my arm and stands. Rising to my feet, I hold the keys in the air. It’s childish, I know.

She crosses her arms, faking annoyance.

Deciding to play the game further, I walk toward a sidewalk trash can and pretend toalmostdrop them inside. She stalks toward me and makes another attempt to take her keys back.

I shake my head and teasingly jiggle the keys in front of her.

They’rejustout of her reach.

Smirking, I turn on my toes and head toward her office.

She does the same, and then we’re walking side by side, the silence returning.

When we reach her office, the door is locked.

“How convenient that I have these,” I say with a grin while unlocking the door.

“How convenient will it be when I call the cops and have you arrested for key theft and breaking and entering?” she fires back.

“Breaking and entering? No, babe. I’m simply letting myself in.”

“Okay, you’re over here, using theserial killerversion ofletting yourself in.”

The door opens, and as soon as we’re inside, she tries swiping herkeysagain.

“Babe,” I say with a laugh, “you’re nearly four to zero.”

She puckers her pink lips. “Aaliyah taught me that if at first you don’t succeed, dust yourself off and try again.”

“Try again. I don’t mind you jumping all over me. In fact, I’m a fan.”

This time, when she tries, I move away from her until she’s chasing me. As she follows me around the office, laughter breaks out of her.

It’s like this is what we needed to lift all the heaviness off our shoulders.

We’re two people who have been serious for so long that we nearly forgot how refreshing not caring for a minute feels.

Without thinking, I turn on my toes, envelop her in my arms, and circle her around. She loses a breath, the laughter fading.

I halt, afraid I went too far.

But after a few seconds, a giggle leaves her. “Just like the silence, maybe this is also what I needed.”

She doesn’t pull away, and I feel like I’m on top of the damn world.

“Is this like one of the rom-coms Lainey was talking about?” I ask.

She squints, closing one eye as if in deep contemplation. “I think so, but since I haven’t decided whether I forgive you yet, I don’t want to say yes.”

“How about we watch a rom-com together to see if it qualifies?”

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