She gave me a look. “It's sort of dumb.”
“Perfect,” I said. “We’re being dumb today. That’s the whole point.”
She hesitated. “I was supposed to review history notes before work.”
I shot her a quick side-eye. “Uh uh. Nope. From now until I drop you off to get ready, we’re onourtime.”
“Our time?”
“No worries, no school, no guys, no Frenchy, no problems, nothing. Just us.”
She shifted slowly to look at me. One eyebrow arched.
“Just us,” she tested the words, skeptical. “And no problems?”
“Exactly,” I said, tapping the steering wheel like I’m sealing a deal. “Just us and no problems.”
For a beat, she studied me. And then—then—it happened. The smallest smile, barely there. But it was real. Not polite. Not painted on. Real.
In that second, I swore, I’d drive us straight into the sun if it meant she’d keep smiling like that.
Chapter
Nineteen
FRANKIE
The booth seat was sticky from the heat, the kind that clung to your skin and made your thighs stick to the vinyl like it was trying to claim you. The place looked the same as it always had—plastic flamingos out front, checkered floors inside, faded posters of Elvis and old hot rods on the walls. But somehow, it felt like everything was vibrating. Off. Like the air itself knew something was about to happen.
I stirred my milkshake with a straw, watching the swirl of chocolate and vanilla like it held answers. It didn’t.
Archie sat across from me, arms stretched along the back of the booth, sunglasses pushed up into that mess of dark hair like he didn’t have a care in the world. But he did. I could feel it. His eyes kept flicking to me like he was working up to something. And I didn’t know whether to be curious or terrified.
“So,” I said finally, just to fill the space. “Nice kidnapping. Five stars. Would get abducted again.”
He grinned, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Only the best for you.”
My stomach twisted. I didn’t know why. Maybe because this was the first time we’d been alone in weeks where it didn’t feel like we were running from something. Or maybe it was because,deep down, I knew what he was about to say and I didn’t know how to feel about it.
He leaned forward, elbows on the table. “Frankie.”
Uh-oh.
“Yeah?”
“I need to say something, and I need you to actually listen. Not joke. Not deflect. Just… hear me, okay?”
I sat straighter, nerves crackling in my fingertips. “Okay.”
His eyes searched mine. “I like you.”
I blinked. “Youwhat?”
Archie chuckled, but there was a tightness in his jaw. “Don’t look at me like I’ve grown a second head.”
“I—no, it’s just…” I set my milkshake down. My heart was racing. “Archie, we’ve been friends forever.”
“Yeah. Then I started driving you home after I got my car, and bringing you snacks when your mom forgot dinner, and dragging you to movie nights even when you said you had to study. How many times have I taken you to play mini-golf?”
