Page 29 of The Last Dance

‘What is it?’

‘What’s what?’

‘This.What do youdohere?’

‘You people-watch. It’s the center of the city so it’s always busy. There’s always something to see.’

She looks around at the people milling about. A group of hipsters chatting. A couple teens smoking. People walking by with shopping. A couple guys dressed in armor sword-fighting.

‘See… you don’t see that every day.’ I wish I could come up with the unique nicknames that Ambri was always so good at.

She raises an unimpressed eyebrow.

I look around the stairs remembering one of the many times I was here.

*

‘Oh, my God…’ Ambri closes her eyes as she chews the bite she stole from my cake box. ‘So freaking good. You have to try it.’

‘I would if you’d back off it and eat your own.’ I push her hand away playfully.

‘You know I can’t just order one – that’s no fun.’

I laugh. ‘I’m well aware. How should we do this, each eat half or—?’

She stabs her fork into the chocolate cake again with a giggle. ‘You snooze you lose.’ She laughs.

‘I see how it is.’ I fight her for a spot for my fork, spearing a giant piece and shoving the entire thing in my mouth like a total glutton.

She watches me, animatedly moving her head in sync with my chewing. ‘Well?’

I swallow it down, opening the bottle of milk she insisted cake requires, even though I’m not a big milk fan, and gulping down enough to wash it all down.

‘You’re right.’ I hold my hands up as if I’m surrendering. ‘Easily the best chocolate cake in the city.’

‘I told you. This has to be the cake at my wedding.’

‘You’re getting married?’ I ask her, a little surprised to even hear the word come out of her mouth.

‘I don’t mean now… clearly I’d have to have a boyfriend to get married. Then there is the whole him asking me thing. And we both know I’m not even a little bit close to either of those things. I mean for future reference, this will be my wedding cake.’ She points at what’s left of the cake with her fork.

‘Let’s try the other piece,’ I say, exchanging boxes with her. She picks at the chocolate cake as I open the box now on my lap. ‘This one looks too healthy…’ I stare down at the carrot cake with an inch of cream-cheese icing professionally smeared across the outside.

‘Healthy? Are you kidding me? Nothing healthy tastes this good. You go first.’

I take a bite, normal size this time, and smile. ‘Wow. OK, you’ve officially turned me. I’m no longer a hater of carrot cake.’

‘See…’ She takes her own bite, savoring every morsel as she chews. I’ve never seen someone so pleasured by food. If you want to be reminded that everything in life is a blessing, eat with Ambri. ‘Now this, this should be the cake at your wedding.’

I shake my head. I should have known her mind was on weddings with Ben and Claire’s coming up so soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s got her wondering why she isn’t anywhere near that point in life. That’s what she does – she overthinks things she has no control over.

‘Why not?’

‘Because I’m never getting married.’

‘What? Shut up. Never say never.’

‘Fine. I won’t say never, but yeah, never.’ I shrug with a laugh, leaning on the stair behind me with my elbows.

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