Page 18 of The Love Comeback
“Whoa, you guys are ready to go.” He chuckles, flashing me his perfect freaking smile. My heart does a little flip-flop, but I ignore it. The only thing my heart is good for is keeping me alive.
“It’s gonna be so much fun,” Colton breathes, dropping my arm as he falls in step beside Kade. “I don’t remember the last time I went to the circus.”
“It’s been a few years,” I say from behind the two of them. I feel like a third wheel—not that I care. In fact, I love the way that Colton is grinning up at Kade and Kade is grinning right back.
Colton needs this.
I watch as Kade opens the back door of his truck for Colton to climb in and then turns to the passenger door, gesturing for me.
“Thanks,” I tell him, giving him a half-smile as I slip past him. I’m immediately hit with the scent of leather and Kade’s cologne as I scramble in. Even though he’s changed brands since we were together, there’s still something strikingly familiar about it all.
“You need to get buckled up,” I say to Colton, steering my mind away from the past. “We don’t want to be late.”
He gives me a funny look but then scoots back in the seat as Kade jumps in. He pulls the seatbelt strap across his lap without any protest, and a big grin stretches across his face as Kade shifts the truck into reverse.
“So…” My voice trails off as he heads out of the quaint neighborhood street. Part of me wonders what Kade thinks about the tiny little house I’m renting, or if he thought about it at all.
He eyes me. “So?”
“So, the date didn’t go well?” I keep my voice low as he merges onto the highway, heading toward downtown. My mouth feels excessively dry as he frowns, his shoulders slumping slightly.
“No, it didn’t. Everything that could go wrongwentwrong. I even spilled my milkshake on her dress.” He chuckles and I raise my brows, wrapping my arms around myself a little tighter. “And then she drank enough wine for a whole army.”
“Oh…” A giggle tries to slip out, but I clamp my hand over my mouth, shaking my head. “I’m so sorry, that’s not funny.”
Kade lets out a heavy sigh, glancing back in the rearview at Colton before catching my gaze. “It was pretty disappointing, but also … now, saying it out loud, it’s a little funny. I’m not sure I would’ve felt like that before I picked you guys up.”
“Girls are gross,” Colton hums from the backseat. “My friend Aaron doesn’t think so, though. He wants a girlfriend.”
My heart jumps to my throat as I spin in the seat. “Wait, what? No girlfriends!” Kade burst into a fit of laughter at my freak-out, and I shoot him a glare. “I’mserious.”
“You act like it’s not innocent.”
“Aaron said he wants to kiss Lilly Evans.” Colton curls up his lip. “I don’t know why he’d want tokissher. I mean, how would he know if she brushed her teeth?”
“That’s a very valid point,” Kade says. “He wouldn’t know. And you know what’s crazy? You don’t even know the answer to that question when you’re my age.”
Colton’s eyes go wide. “I thoughtalladults brushed their teeth.”
“Nope,” Kade says, nonchalantly shrugging as he pulls into the circus parking lot. “Some adults don’t brush their teeth. Some don’t shower. It’s just part of it.”
“I’d totally not shower.” Colton breaks into a grin. “I mean, Ella makes me shower once a day, but I still don’t understand why showering once a week isn’t good enough. It’s not like I getthatdirty.”
“Nah.” Kade shakes his head. “You gotta shower. Especially because you break a sweat on the ice. I sometimes shower twice a day.”
“You do?” I can’t help my surprise as he pulls into a space and puts the truck in park.
“Uh yeah.” He laughs. “The last thing I want is for someone to think I reek. That would just be bad.”
“I guess I’ll keep showering, then.” Colton lets out a pained sigh.
Kade and I exchange glances, both of us trying not to laugh as we climb out of the truck. I don’t know what it is about being around Kade, but he always seems to brighten the mood. Well, my mood.
“Will there be clowns?” Colton asks as we head for the front doors, where a whole line of people are waiting outside to get in. “I don’t think I like clowns.”
“They’re just grown-ups who act silly with a bunch of face paint on.” Kade chuckles, shrugging his broad shoulders. I hate the way I’m drawn to stare at him, my mind running circles with how attractive he is.
It should be a crime.
