Page 20 of One Touch

“Not when I’m eating cupcakes, Lily, this is a very serious issue for me. If anyone stops this cupcake from getting into my stomach, even for a second, I won’t be responsible for my actions.” She paused for a moment. “Any word from Vlad?”

“Ugh. No good words. Just moaning about the fact that I stole the car I paid for.”

“I’m sorry, honey. Things will get better soon.”

“Maybe. Right now, it feels like I’m on a downward spiral.” I pursed my lips and my cheeks burned at the question I was about to ask. “Has, uh, Ethan said anything to you since the crash?”

It was her turn to narrow her eyes. “Whenever you say Ethan’s name, your mouth twitches afterward.”

My heart raced. “El, you remember that time Cole saw you naked on the beach?”

“Yessss?”

I confessed to the shower incident, telling her everything except for the crazy fantasies I’d been having since it happened.

“You have got to be kidding!” she said, putting down her cupcake and covering her mouth in shock. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“I guess we were talking about the wedding catastrophe, and the crash and everything.”

“Why were you ripping your dress to shreds?”

“I don’t know what came over me. Just . . . the thought that Vlad had chosen it for me made me feel sick. I wanted to be freeof him and the person I used to be—the person who fell for all his lies. I got this urge to destroy it.”

“And then Ethan saw you naked.”

“He saw everything. And he stared.”

“He stared?”

I nodded. “It was like a wolf, staring down a lamb.”

She laughed. “This is too delicious, Lily.”

“Don’t!”

“You know, if this was a romance novel—”

“Don’t you dare finish this sentence! I swear I’ll shove my fingers in my ears and never take them out.”

“Ethan would be the perfect love interest, though! He’s handsome, he’s good with his hands, and he’s already seen you naked. All you need now is a little forced proximity—”

“Stop right there. I’m telling you this because it’s funny and embarrassing and you’re my best friend. There is nothing, repeat nothing, happening between me and Ethan McCoy.”

Elara nodded mischievously. “Oh yeah. Because you’ve sworn off relationships forever.”

“Hey. I’m a grieving bride right now.”

“Vlad didn’t die.”

“He’s dead to me.”

Elara gave me a wicked look. “You know . . . Ethan’s training to be a firefighter.” Her gaze moved to the back of my store, where I had a very special corner devoted to “Blazing Hot Reads.” I’d always had a thing for firefighter heroes. Something about the outfits, the scorching heat, the big, uh, hoses. . .

“He’s what?”

Elara nodded. “That’s right. A big, strong firefighter. Imagine him scooping you off your feet, Lils.”

I looked away from the corner of my store, which frankly needed an update anyway. “He thinks I’m a silly idiot, El. Plus,he’s got a daughter. Plus, he’s way older than me. Oh yeah, and the other day he told me he’s as romantic as a dead fish.”

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