Page 35 of Ice Melts

Tatum blinked. Then she snorted, shaking her head. “Sarah. Come on. That’s it?”

Sarah’s heart dropped. “Oh no, you hate it, don’t you?”

“No!” Tatum held up her hands. “I don’thateit. I’m just—” She stopped, narrowing her eyes. “Wait.Mighthave feelings? Really? That’s what we’re going with?”

Sarah sighed, rubbing her temples. “Okay, fine. I do have feelings for him. I have for… a long time.”

Tatum took a slow sip of her latte, watching Sarah over the rim. She was enjoying this, the menace.

Sarah groaned. “Just say it.”

Tatum set her drink down. “Sarah. Let’s be real. You’ve been in love with Travis since high school.”

Sarah froze. “What?”

Tatum rolled her eyes. “Please. The way you used to look at him? The way you avoided talking about him every time I brought him up? I’m your best friend, not an idiot.”

Sarah’s face burned. “And you never said anything?”

Tatum shrugged. “I figured if you wanted to tell me, you would. And honestly? I thought maybe you and Travis just… I don’t know, missed your window. You two have been weird about each other forever.”

Sarah slumped back in her chair. “Wow. That’s humiliating.”

Tatum smirked. “A little, yeah.” Then she tilted her head, studying Sarah more seriously. “But what I don’t get is why you’re freaking out about it now.”

Sarah exhaled slowly. “Because it’s different now. We spent the weekend together at the lake house, just us. And it was… really good, Tate.”

Tatum’s eyes softened. “You mean, likegoodgood?”

Sarah nodded. “Yeah. We talked, we laughed, we—I don’t know,clickedagain. I’ve been trying to pretend like he’s just my best friend’s brother, but he’s not. He’s Travis. And I don’t want to keep pretending anymore.”

Tatum was quiet for a moment, tapping her nails against her cup. “So, let me get this straight. You and my brother, the one you’ve secretly been in love with for years, finally spent real time together. And now you’re asking me if I’m okay with it?”

Sarah nodded, her throat suddenly tight. “I wouldn’t do this if it made things weird between us, Tate. You’re my best friend. You matter to me. I need to know you’d be okay with it before I—before we?—”

“Before you do anything … more about it,” Tatum finished for her.

Sarah swallowed. “Yeah.”

Tatum sighed, then leaned back in her chair, staring at the ceiling like she was debating something. After a long moment, she finally met Sarah’s gaze again.

“Sarah, I love my brother,” she said. “And I love you. So the idea of you two together? Yeah, it’s weird, but not in a bad way. Just in awhy-did-this-take-so-longkind of way.”

Sarah’s breath caught. “So… you’re okay with it?”

“As long as you don’t kill each other while you’re trying.” Tatum gave her a pointed look. “If Travis makes you happy, and you make him happy, then yeah. I’m more than okay with it. I want this for you guys.”

A wave of relief crashed over Sarah, her shoulders finally releasing the tension. “You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.”

Tatum grinned. “I do actually, because you’ve been sitting there looking like you were about to pass out for the last ten minutes.”

Sarah laughed, the weight on her chest lifting.

Then Tatum’s expression turned more serious. “But, Sarah… this isn’t just some casual thing, is it? Not an itch you need to get past from when you were young?”

Sarah shook her head. “No. It’s not.”

Tatum studied her for a long moment, then nodded. “Then just promise me one thing.”

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