Page 139 of Our Scorching Summer

Nico looks at me as if asking whether I’m satisfied with my questioning. I give him a quick nod, and we get up to join Klaus and Ren.

“How long have you been traveling together?” Klaus directs his question at me.

“Since the beginning of summer, so a little over a month and a half.”

“Wow, and he’s still living and breathing?” He wraps Nico into a half hug. “You must be on your best behavior because the only people who can handle this man have the patience of saints.”

“I could say the same about you, which is probably why we’re friends,” Nico teases.

“Did you tell Lily the story about when we were studying abroad, and we went to the music festival in Capri?”

I eye Nico suspiciously. “No.”

“He bought the tickets for the event, but forgot to book a hotel. All weekend we ended up drinking until we passed out for a few hours on random benches until we could go again,” Klaus jests. “I think it was the last trip I ever let you plan.”

Nico rolls his eyes. “And we thank you for enlightening all of us here with the memory.”

“Let’s just say there’s a reason I did all the operations for Flight Falcon. He’s a brainiac with the keyboard, but organization or taking care of others is definitely not his strong suit.”

The comment unsettles something in my chest. “Really? Because he actually planned our entire three-month trip,” I boast, feeling defensive over Nico.

Klaus knocks on his friend’s head. “Are you sure you’re the same person?”

“People can change.”

“That they can.” Klaus winks at me.

“Klaus, am I doing this right?” Ren rattles the metal cocktail shaker. Liquid bursts onto the white marble counters of the kitchen.

“Oh dear.” Klaus’s voice trembles with panic as he takes the shaker away from her. Then he and Nico scramble for towels to help dry off Ren’s dress. “Remember, no bubbles in the shaker, darling.”

Ren’s label-less partner pulls her hands in his and pats them dry.

“I always forget. Can you do it?” She giggles, but from the narrowing of her angular brown eyes, I can tell she’s fucking with him.

I love her for it.

“Actually, let me make us some drinks,” I offer.

I search Klaus’s liquor cabinet, which is outfitted with enough top-shelf bottles to serve a crowd of fifty. Muscle memory takes over, and I pull out a few colorful liquors to mix for our small group.

“You’re a professional,” Klaus muses, watching my movements.

“Lily used to be a bartender,” Nico says proudly.

Used to be.

Best to not let that reality ruin my evening. I fill a shot glass and toss back the straight absinthe.

“Used to be? What do you do now?” his friend probes.

Nico’s smiling profusely, the words TELL THEM almost blaring in neon red on his forehead. The swarm of nerves I expected never comes.

Instead, I’m overcome with courage.

“I’m writing novellas while I get my business degree.”

That sounds so cool.Even if the reality isn’t quite that right now.

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