Page 37 of Wicked

This guy . . . He’s great. Did he miss me as much as I missed him? He covers my knee with his warm and large paw. Butterflies stir in my stomach. Collide when he squeezes my knee. Goodness, he did miss me. I cover his hand with mine and lace our fingers.

“You didn’t hear correctly.” April rolls her eyes and crosses her arms on the table. “Serves you right foreavesdropping.”

“You weren’t quiet, little girl.”

She sits back with a satisfied grin. My, my, April likes when Ryker calls her that. Yet she finds it annoying when her crush, Parker, says the same. I smile. This girl of mine . . .

“Care to share the interesting conversation you were having with Harper?” He leans in and bumps his head on mine.

April looks at me. I give her a slight shake of my head. She opens her mouth. I glare and stare pointedly at her backpack. Her chin tips up. I narrow my eyes. That troublemaker. My hand still intertwined with Ryker’s, I cross my legs, lean back, and wait to hear what April has to say.

“I asked Harper if she’d still go out with you if you weren’t so hot.”

Next to me, Ryker squirms in discomfort at being told he’s sexy from a twelve-year-old. I hold back my smile.

“I also asked if you’re her first boyfriend. She’s never spoken of a guy before.”

“Is that so?”

The side of my face tingles. His stare is intense, his words full of curiosity. Shit, April’s opening up a can of worms.

“How long have you known Harper?”

“Four years.”

“She’s never mentioned a guy, not even a guy who is”—Ryker tips forward—“a friend?”

April’s brows tug low. “No.”

Ryker rests back against the booth. “Huh.”

One word said in disbelief and more curiosity. He rubs his thumb over mine. Up. Down. Up. Down. I can hear the gears cranking in his head. He’s wondering why I’ve never spoken of Shephard to April.

“My dad wants to meet you.”

“Will it make what I have with Harper official?”

“Hey, I’m right here. I get a say and my say is a firm no.”

“Harper.”

“No, April. Pete’s not my father. He’s yours. There’s no need for him to meet my guy friend.”

“Ryker’s yourboyfriend. He’s your first,right?”

A flush heats my cheeks. April’s eyes widen.

“I don’t mean your first inthatway. You’re twenty-two, so it’d be weird if you were a virgin.”

My body stiffens. God, I hope Ryker didn’t notice. If he did, he’s not giving anything away with his body language. And two, April and her mouth. She gets her bluntness from her father. Pete doesn’t always tone down his adult language around his young daughter.

“I’ve had other boyfriends,” I say.

“When?”

Can I point out my young friend is persistent?

“When I lived in Chicago.”

---