Page 64 of Fall for You (Flirting with Forever 4)

I’m absolutely covered head to toe in powdered sugar and having the time of my life. If there’s a mess to be made, I’ll be the one making it—especially when I bake. My grin spreads wide across my face as my friends and I howl with laughter, and I can’t even remember at this point what was so funny. We’re technically at our book club meeting, but we’re at Quinn’s mom’s bakery giving her a hand. Meg had surgery last week and the girls and I have been chipping in as much as we can to help Quinn out. Because that’s what friends do. I glance around the room. These women? Well, they are absolutely friends—but I think if you asked any one of us, they’d say the same—we’re more like family.

“Zoey, what was this conference you said you needed to tell us about?” Sophia looks up from where she’s scooping more cupcake batter into liners.

Multiple pairs of eyes focus on me. Piper’s brows go up. “I didn’t hear about this. What’s going on?”

“So, there’s this pterodactyl and somehow it impregnates the main female character of the book, and it’s just a wild story.” I wrinkle my nose and look back down at what I’m doing, trying not to laugh.

Quinn’s eyes light up. “Oh. Is that code for ‘Zoey doesn’t want to talk about this right now?’”

Madison laughs. “Well, I don’t ever feel like we actually talk about the books anymore for more than just a couple of minutes anyway, but go ahead, Zoey. Why don’t you tell us how the pterodactyl manages this.”

My face flushes beet red because I’m still a little panicky about the conference and don’t know what to say, but I also don’t actually want to expIain the process by which that pterodactyl knocked up the lady in the book either. I can’t help myself, I bust out laughing. “Fine, fine. Mi—Mr. Steele, I mean …” I hesitate, exasperated with myself, and bite down on my lip. “Miles Steele.”

Piper covers her mouth, giggling.

I cringe, wrinkling my nose. Oh my gosh, it’s a good thing I’m among friends. “Mr. Steele has asked me to attend the East Coast School Counseling Leadership Conference later this month.”

Hadleigh raises her hand. “Okay, wait. Can we all just back up for a second? Are we ever going to address this Mr. Steele thing or do we just keep thinking it’s cute?”

Madison raises a hand. “I vote we discuss.”

Sophia. “Definitely up for discussion.”

A burst of laughter comes from Quinn, and she slaps her hand over her mouth, glancing at me apologetically.

Aw, crap. My vote is to just keep thinking it’s cute. I can’t help it that I keep calling our administrator by his first name instead of his surname. He just looks like a “Miles” to me. I’m comfortable with him, I guess. And—

Sigh. I guess I do think about him more than is strictly necessary. It’s just—a silly crush. Nothing but a crush. Yeah, Zoey, keep telling yourself that.

“Okay, okay, I’ll start.” Hadleigh winks at me. “Want to know something funny? Every time she says ‘Mi—Mr. Steele’—we now know she’s been struggling not to say his first name.” She pauses with dramatic effect.

Everyone nods, and I’m sure they’re wondering where Hadleigh is going with this like I am.

“This whole time, I totally thought she was calling him ‘My Mr. Steele.’ I’d forgotten his name was Miles until she said his full name just now.”

Sophia chokes on her water, immediately laughing. Tears spring to Madison’s eyes, and Quinn shakes her head, covering her mouth.

Piper squeals, “Aw. That is about the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.”

I groan. “Girls, I’m embarrassed.”

Madison smiles from where she’s measuring out ingredients for another batch of cupcake batter. “Don’t be. I happen to think he’s adorable. Nothing wrong with crushing on a super cute guy.”

“And he was so kind to me and Sawyer with the whole he-who-shall-not-be-named situation.” Hadleigh smiles encouragingly.

Quinn nods. “He was the same with me and the rumor mill issues. Incredibly kind.”

Sophia, ever the mother hen of the group, eyes me, and I positively squirm. “Zoey, you blush every time someone brings him up. Admit it.”

I give her my crazy-eyes face. “Do not.”

Piper laughs. “You’re literally blushing right this minute.”

My hands clench beside me. “I know.”

“He’s a bit of a silver fox, Zoey.” Hadleigh wiggles her brows at me.

Another burst of heat hits my cheeks, and I wave her off.

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