Page 66 of Icing Hearts

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Thought you’d make a big deal about it.”

“I won’t. But I will be expecting bread as a tip for my tutoring services.”

“Whatever, Charity.” His smile tells me he’ll do it.

Chapter 38

Clara

After dinner, Tory and I head up to his room and take turns changing into our cozy clothes in the bathroom. I don a buttery soft lounge set. Before I can reach the door to go back downstairs, he says, “We can hang out up here. I think I got, like, three bruises from those guys.”

“What time will everyone head out?” I ask.

“Probably around midnight. Most of the kids will crash in the rec room with a movie while the parents keep things going. My dad and his colleagues have work to do so they’ll sneak off downstairs with Giulia.”

“Is she in IT as well?”

“Yeah, she’ll be taking over when my dad retires.”

“Cool.” I nod.

“Yeah.”

“So…what are we gonna do?”

He gives me a sheepish grin as the seconds tick by and reaches out to play with the hem of my sleeve. “Netflix…no chill?”

“Sounds good,” I say.

“Unless you’re ready to revise the policy on ‘chill’.”

“I’m not. Actually, before I forget, I need the lastShatter Mebook. I really liked reading your margin notes in this one,” I say, reaching down and pulling the finished book from my bag.

“Did you make any of your own?” he asks. “I’ll skim through it again if you did.”

“No, I didn’t feel like I should cause it’s not my book.”

“I don’t mind. Mark the last one up. What do you think of the series?”

And with that, the floodgates open, and I begin to gush. We ping-pong back and forth about all the books we’ve both read, Shakespeare, and book to movie adaptations. Then, he takes me on a shelf tour through his favorites.

By the time we’re through, I have six more books weighing down my tote bag, and we’re settled on his bed picking out a movie.

“Oh, have you read the book for this one?”

“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” he reads off the screen. “No, is it good?”

I gasp. “It’s my absolute favorite. I read the trilogy, like, three times all the way through. I’ll give you those in school on Monday. We have to watch the movie.”

“Won’t it ruin the books?”

“This one really doesn’t. And you totally give off Peter Kavinsky vibes. He’s the best book boyfriend ever.”

“Better than Warner?”

“They’re different. You’ll see.”

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