Whoa. They really want me to come with them?

I’m not an annoyance to them?

“Do I need to make a no-boyfriends rule so you girls keep working?” Maddy asks, passing us with a tray of coffees.

“You could, Aunty,” Jamie says in a teasing tone, “but could you survive without your boyfriend stopping in?”

Maddy rolls her eyes and continues onto a table.

Milo runs a hand down Jamie’s shoulder. “Do you want me to help you?”

Jamie bats her lashes, leading him behind the counter to help her with the clean up after making dozens of milkshakes and coffees.

“All right, I can be a good boyfriend,” Parker says. “Put me to work.”

I giggle at him. “You don’t have to. You can take a seat with the boys and I’ll bring you something to eat.”

“No, it’s cool,” Parker says. “Should I wipe down a table?”

Kai and Tyler laugh, moving to an empty booth.

“Gotta see this,” Kai comments. “We’re in here all the time, and he’s never once helped Jamie.”

Parker ignores his friends and awaits my instructions.

I grab a cloth and spray bottle and move over to my section. “You know, you don’t need to play it up. Lewis and Yvette aren’t even here.”

“Yeah, but I’m still your boyfriend to everyone else,” Parker replies, following close behind. “And I don’t mind helping.”

“Not according to Kai.”

“What would he know? Besides, Lewis and Ty never help either.”

“You don’t need to defend yourself. I’m really fine doing my own work.”

“But isn’t helping a romantic gesture?”

I hesitate, watching the genuineness softening his face. “You’re trying to be romantic?”

“Yeah,” he says with a blush. “I want to be good at being a boyfriend.”

Aww. Why is he being so cute right now?

I lift the cloth and spray bottle for Parker to take. “Okay, boyfriend. Go for it.”

He gives me a wink and then wipes down the table. I take delight in telling him where he’s missed a spot.

He cleans the surface again. “How about now?”

“I guess it’s fine for someone who’s never worked a day in his life.”

Parker turns to me and pretends to pull the trigger on the bottle, causing me to yelp and raise my hands.

He laughs, lowering the bottle. “I’d work if my parents let me.”

I side-eye him with skepticism. “They won’t let you?”

“Nope. They say I don’t need to. That I should focus on school.”