Page 24 of One Touch

Ava had invented the name after trying out a combination of toppings that blew our minds. Pepperoni, jalapenos, and pineapple. Now, whenever we ordered pizza, I had to deadpan “I’d like to order a peppanpine, please,” as though it was a household name. Always embarrassing for me. Always hilarious for her.

We drove back home, in much better spirits now. But when we pulled up to our driveway, Lily was waiting on the porch.

She was wearing a long yellow sundress, and clutching a big notebook and pen in her slender fingers.

I hoped my cheeks weren’t burning as I remembered each and every curve of her naked body. “Lily. Good to see you.”

Good to have seen you. Naked.

“Hi Ethan, hi Ava.” Lily held out her hand for a high-five.

Ava prodded it shyly.

“I wasn’t expecting you here,” I said, trying to keep the edge out of my voice.

“I know, I’m sorry if it’s inconvenient,” Lily replied, her cheeks flushing.

“We’re about to order a peppanpine,” said Ava solemnly.

“A what?”

“Pizza,” I grunted, trying to ignore how beautiful Lily looked. Her fiery red hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her sapphire eyes sparkled behind those adorably nerdy tortoiseshell glasses. The yellow sundress she wore hugged her curves in all the right places, making my pulse race and my mouth go dry.

“I won’t be here for long. I was just hoping to have a quick chat.”

“I can watch TV, if I must,” Ava said, innocent as an ice cream sundae with extra chocolate sprinkles.

“Twenty minutes, max,” I said.

Ava punched the air and skipped inside. It felt good to lift her out of her funk, even if the medicine had to be junk food andGabby’s Dollhouse.

“How are you doing?” I asked. “Feeling better?”

“Oh, you know,” she said with a forced smile. “Not better exactly. Worse, I guess!” She said it with exaggerated enthusiasm, as though being worse was the best possible outcome.

“Sorry to hear that. And sorry I didn’t call to check up on you. I’ve been busy with Ava.”

She flashed me a smile so gorgeous my breath caught. In this light, her pale skin practically glowed, making her look like an angel. A sexy angel. The kind of angel you’d definitely be damned for fantasizing about.

I shook my head, trying to push the blasphemous thoughts away and focus on not seeming like an aroused degenerate.

“Actually, Ethan, that’s exactly what I’m here to talk to you about. Ava.”

I raised an eyebrow. Was Ava in trouble for something else now?

Lily tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her cheeks flushing an adorable shade of pink. “I know this might seem a bitout of the blue, but I’ve been thinking about the damage to your car, and how I can make it right.”

“Lily, I told you—”

“I did some research into the Ferrari Spyder, and I know that the work is going to cost you . . . a lot.”

“But with my insurance—”

“At the very least you have to pay a deductible, right? Plus, there’s all the time and hassle and wasted materials you’ll have used fixing up the car in the first place.”

I scratched my head and felt stupid for potentially drawing attention to my graying hair. “Well, there are a few costs,” I told her, “but it’s really not a problem. You lost more than enough on the Chevrolet, no doubt, if you weren’t insured.”

“I’ve come up with a couple of repayment plans,” she continued, her voice trembling. “I’m determined to make amends, no matter what it takes.” She took a deep breath, then opened up her notebook. “There are two options. The first plan involves small monthly payments. Assuming this whole thing has cost you, what, five thousand dollars?”

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