Page 93 of Brittle Heart

Angela, who is getting tattooed by Xander, laughs from the back. “Ouch, what did you do to this girl, Clay?”

“Nothing. Best friends like to tease each other, right, kitten?” I say, but Carolina just maintains her neutral expression.

I place her coffee in front of her before heading to the back and giving Angela the coffee and bagel I bought for her.

“Thank you. I was getting a bit drowsy here.”Sheat least smiles at me.

“What are you up to?” I ask.

“Oh, just watching some classes I recorded for an upcoming test,” she says, shaking her phone.

I place Xander’s coffee in the not-sanitized zone and put a bagel beside it.

He stops for a second, looking up at me. “Hey, love. Thank you,” he says.

I lean down to kiss his temple. “Anything for you.”

“I didn’t know you were coming over. Is everything okay? Why are you awake?” he asks, setting down the tattoo machine and taking off his gloves to sip his coffee.

“I couldn’t sleep and thought I’d come say hi to you and Angela.” I shrug.

“That’s nice, but I’m sorry, this tattoo is taking longer than expected, so I don’t have time to chat,” he apologizes.

“Don’t worry, I’ll just bug your little assistant a bit,” I smile and lean down, kissing him before letting him get back to work.

Carolina is busy drawing on her notepad when I reach the front again. I sneak up behind her and peek over her shoulder to see what she’s sketching. It’s a stunning picture of an ice rink surrounded by trees, with the skyline in the background. There are silhouettes of people skating on the ice, and the main focus is on a pair of ice skates lying on the rink. She’s drawn it all with a pencil, but it looks impressive.

I can’t help but ask, “How do you draw so well?”

Carolina startles. She didn’t notice me coming up behind her. She tries to turn the notebook, hiding it, but I take it out of her hand and give it a closer look.

It’s pretty.

“Give it back,” she says, reaching for it.

“Tell me, and I will,” I say, holding it over her head.

“My mother was an artist. We used to draw a lot when I was little. Now give it back,” she demands, and I hand it back as promised.

“So, you’re into art? Xander is too. You could be his new art buddy and go with him to exhibitions and stuff.” Xander huffs from the back. “Not that I’m not enjoying them, but I’m sure it would be much more fun if you could talk about art while looking at it.”

Gosh, it would be a relief not to have to go to those stuffy things anymore.

They stay silent, and it’s starting to make my skin itch.

“Are you excited for tomorrow?” I ask, changing the subject.

She smiles a little and blushes, looking down at her drawing.

“I am,” she says softly.

That smile and blush aren’t for me, and it’s driving me crazy.Why, though?

“It’s going to be so much fun. After the ice-skating, we go home and eat Christmas cookies Sophia bakes, with some mulled wine Xander always makes for us. Are you down for that too?” I ask.

“I have to work in the evening, and I don’t want to just barge in on all of your family traditions,” she says.

“Nonsense, you’re part of this now too. It would hurt our feelings if you don’t come,” I say, pouting.

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