Page 121 of Learning Curve

“Ohhhh, is that a threat?” he teases with both hands in the air. “Because it sounds kinky, Jules.”

With a roll of her eyes—and a secret grin—Julia shoves him out of the way, and Ace smirks down at her as she cuts the expensive bakery cake she got for his birthday.

But before any slices are passed out, Blake’s phone pings with a notification.

Both Ace’s and Finn’s phones are next.

Then mine, Julia, and Kayla’s.

McKinley Library. Back entrance. 15 minutes.

“Looks like Double C is calling our name,” Ace announces.

“You sure you want to go tonight?” Blake questions. “I’m happy to see that my future wife texted me first—clearly, she wants me there—but I think we need to let the birthday boy decide what we do tonight.”

“Are you kidding me, son?” Ace retorts with a big-ass smile. “This is fucking perfect. Let’s go!”

“What about your cake?” Julia asks, and Ace just slides the sucker back into its box and picks it up.

“Looks like we’re taking it to go, Jules!” he exclaims and takes her hand. “Let’s hit it!”

I’d question leaving the balloons and streamers and banner and all the other random birthday shit we brought to Zip’s, but Ace is apparently besties with the owner. “Yo, Zippity-Doo-Da! We gotta jet!”

“No worries!” the gray-haired man I’m assuming is Zip calls back from behind the counter. “We’ll handle the mess! You kids go have fun. Happy birthday, Ace!”

“Is it just me, or do you find it almost creepy how Ace seems to know everyone?” I ask Finn as we walk out of Zip’s Diner. Ace is already striding up the sidewalk with Julia’s hand still in his and the cake clutched to his side.

“I’ve given up on understanding it,” Finn comments, flashing a little smile in my direction.

“Honestly, he might not even be a real human,” I say. “He’s probably, like, a robot or AI or an alien from an alternate universe. I mean, he managed to get you to be his friend, which is the equivalent of a miracle.”

“A miracle?” he questions with a smirk. “You saying I’m difficult?”

“I’m saying you’re, like, bad-boy complicated.” I nudge his hip with mine. “Lucky for you, I love bad boys.”

“Hey now,” he says and surprises the hell out of me by lifting me up into the air and over his shoulder. He playfully slaps my ass. “I better be the only bad boy you love.”

I’m giggling now, and he taps my ass again with his hand. “I promise!” I squeal when he tickles my side. “You’re the only bad boy I love!”

“Good,” he says, but he doesn’t put me down on my feet.

“C’mon, Finn, you can’t carry me all the way to McKinley like this.”

“Watch me.”

I shit you not, Finn carries me the entire ten-minute walk to McKinley Library and doesn’t set me on my feet until we’re standing in front of the back entrance.

“You’re a lunatic, Finn Hayes,” I whisper to him and pinch his firm ass cheeks for good measure. He grins down at me and wraps his arm around my shoulders as Lexi opens the back entrance doors to let us all inside.

There are at least seventy or so people are here tonight, and Connor is at the door handing everyone flashlights.

Lexi stands guard until the last person is through the door, which is well behind us, and then shuts the door and puts the security system back on.

As she walks past us to the front of the crowd, Blake gets lost in his feels again. “What’s her deal? Seriously? She’s a grad student, right?”

I make wide eyes at Finn, while Ace does his best to be delicate. “Blake, dude, give it up already. She wants nothing to do with you.”

I nearly laugh. To Ace, being blunt is being gentle.

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