Page 49 of Icing Hearts

As a winning smile takes over his face, Vince immediately walks over to the butter dispenser and proceeds to absolutely soak the popcorn. Never mind. I try to keep the comparison from popping up, but it’s a virus on an unprotected computer.

Tory always remembers. The snacks he gives me are always dairy free. He gives me egg BLT bagels and almond milk matcha lattes.

Tory.

Always.

Remembers.

Vince forgot immediately after I told him. Immediately .

Once we’re seated in a perfect middle row set of chairs, he angles the popcorn bag toward me. I shake my head and pull out my own snack.

“I thought you were gonna have some.” He frowns.

I chuckle, feigning ambivalence through my annoyance. “That was before you loaded it up with butter.”

“Aw my bad. I totally forgot. You want a water?” he asks. Before I have time to answer, Vince blurts, “I’m gonna go get you a water.”

At least he remembered that I avoid dyes.

The theater is nice. It was remodeled a few years ago, and the seats are spacious and recline. Our particular theater is mostly empty with, maybe, a dozen other patrons that funnel in over the next few minutes. I check my phone and see a text from Tory.

Tory: Have fun on your date.

Followed by a barfing emoji.

I don’t know why but it makes me laugh. Like, a lot. Enough that I’m looking around to see if anyone is staring at me. The text goes unanswered, and I stow my phone before Vince gets back and plops a bottle of water in my cup holder. I crack the lid and take a few sips as the condensation drips onto my jeans.

“Thanks,” I say, curling my legs under me and shifting closer to the arm rest.

“Anytime, pretty lady.”

As the opening credits roll, Vince whispers, “I propose a kissing game.”

“Oh?”

“You know those drinking games where you have to drink every time someone says or does a specific thing?”

“Yeah, like ‘drink every time someone says the word drama’ on a reality tv show.”

He nods. “So same thing, but kissing. Every time the actors kiss, we kiss.”

“I think I like this game.”

“I was hoping you would.”

“Oh, and let’s kiss every time they should kiss but don’t,” I whisper.

Vince looks elated. “Good one.”

We shake hands.

This is fun. Vince is fun. He makes up kissing games and drinks blue slushies. Tory doesn’t seem like the type to make a game out of kissing. But he’s not here. So the kissing game I shall play.

Chapter 29

Clara

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