Page 65 of A Pizza My Heart

“Yes, and you know it as well as I do. Admit it, you’ve missed that spot.”

I have, but mostly, I missed her.

“We can load your truck up with blankets and pack my cooler with snacks and drinks, make a night of it just like we used to. We could even take our workout clothes and hit the beach for a run as soon as the sun rises. It’ll be fun. Just say yes.”

“I don’t know… I feel way too old to pull an all-nighter.”

Blythe snorts from beside me. “Boy, you arefarfrom old. If I can stay up until sunrise, you can too.”

“You and Randy hit that club I told you about again?” Wren asks her.

Blythe drops her magazine and snaps her fingers, swinging her arms up and down, wiggling in her chair to music only she can hear. “We sure did, just last week.”

“I have so many questions right now. First,how? Second, what kind of club? Third”—I look to Wren in the mirror again—“yougo to clubs now?”

“Not clubs. Justaclub. It’s… Well, I can’t tell you.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Can’t, but I canshowyou.”

“Is this going to be one of our dates?”

“Yes!” She bobs her head excitedly, fingers still running through my hair though I know she’s just stalling for time at this point. My cut was done at least two minutes ago. “A million times yes. Besides, sometimes the girl is the one who needs to make up her mind and make the plans. I call dibs on date two!”

“Date two? What happened to date one?”

“Your pick.”

“Mine? And what exactly am I supposed to pick?”

“Oh”—she waves her hand—“that’s easy.”

“It is?”

“Yep.”

“Maybe want to explain this to me?”

“Nah. You’ll figure it out.”

Her hands drop from my head and I want to beg her to put them back. I miss the magic already.

She tugs at the neck of my cape and slides it off me, the finality of it all settling in.

With reluctance, I push myself up out of the chair and reach for my wallet.

“No!” Her slender fingers wrap around my wrist. “Your money isn’t good here.”

“It is too. Just take it.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“You need the money, Wren.”

“I’m not taking it.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose with annoyance. “Why are you like this?”

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