Page 38 of Fall Wherever They May

“I have a treat for you.” I steer her down the sidewalk to the store at the corner of Broadway and twenty-second street. “Close your eyes.”

She rolls her eyes, then closes them. As I guide her through the entrance, someone greets us, “Welcome to the Harry Potter Store.”

Her eyes pop open as she looks up and turns around to take in our surroundings. She faces me, and her smile is enough to knock me on my ass.

“Wow,” she whispers. “This is amazing.”

As we roam around the store, Aspen takes me by the hand, dragging me along with her from one thing to another. Toward the back of the store we find a bar. Her text notification pings at the same time as mine.

Aspen takes out her phone and barks a laugh that catches me off guard, and I peer over at her questioningly. I pull out my phone to find a text from Carter; I type out a quick response, then shove the device back into my pocket.

“I just got a text from River.” She flashes the phone at me to look at her text.

River:Can I run Carter over with the Zamboni?!?

River:Never mind; that’s too messy. Could you just trade him?

I bark out a laugh, pulling my phone from my pocket and handing it to her.

Carter:This girl does know I’m up for a challenge, right?

Me:What girl?

Carter:River. I asked her again if she wanted to have a drink with me, and you know what her response was?

Carter:That if I asked her again, she was going to run me over with the Zamboni.

Carter:She hates me for no damn reason, but that’s okay, hate sex is great sex.

“They will never happen,” Aspen says.

She doesn’t know Carter very well. That guy doesn’t back down from shit.

The bartender moseys over and interrupts us, “One for you both?” He questions in an English accent while slinging a white towel over his shoulder.

I hand him my card. “Please.”

Turning back to Aspen, I say, “Eh. I’ll take you up on that bet. I’ll put one hundred dollars on them hooking up within six months.” I hold my hand out to shake hers with no intention of ever making her pay if I win.

“Bet, Hotshot.” She shakes my hand.

I pluck my phone from Aspen’s other hand and stuff it back in my pocket to give her my full attention. Once thebartender places our butter-beers in front of us, we talk about her childhood with River, then we touch on mine a bit, but still, I try to steer away from too many details. We finish our drinks; Aspen only drank half due to being full from the coffee. Then we’re off to find the sorting hat, and the both of us end up in Slytherin.

“You know, I’m Gryffindor all the way, but I’m sidled up next to your rotten ass, and you know the saying . . . ‘You’re the company you keep.’” She giggles. I pinch her side.

She picks out wands for Tuck and Elija, and then we browse through other interactive experiences. I’m stopped several times to sign autographs while Aspen watches patiently with a sweet smile. She gladly takes the picture when my fans ask and hand over their phones. Several bags in hand, and three hours later, we stroll out of the store.

“Thank you,” she breathes and surprises me with a hug. I hesitate for a second but wrap my arms tight around her and breathe in the intoxicating floral scent of her perfume. Her body feels so right next to mine.

“This day has been incredible. Nobody has ever done anything this nice for me,” she adds, looking up into my eyes with a bright smile. I want to bend down and place my lips on hers, only to see if they are as soft as they look.

When we’re seated in the SUV, she turns her body towards mine and pulls a box of jellybeans out of the bag.

Shaking the box, she asks, “Want to try one?”

“I haven’t had a jellybean in forever. Hit me.” I hold out my hand.

“Greedy girl. You’re only giving me one?” I shake my head and pop the jellybean into my mouth. The minute I bite down, I damn near throw up. Fumbling with the door handle, I fling the door open, jump out, and spit out the jellybean.

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