Page 42 - It Ends with Us

R yle pres ses hi s palm agains t the bottom of my foot. “Push agains t

my ha nd ,” he says.
I push down with my ank le. It hu rts, but I’m able to move his ha nd .
“Is it broken?”
He moves my foot from side to side, and then says, “I don’t thi nk
so. Let ’s give it a couple of minu tes and I’ll see if you can put any
wei ght on it.”

I nod and watch as he adjusts hi msel f across from me. He sits cross-
leg ged and pulls my foot ont o hi s lap. He looks around the room and
then direc ts hi s attent ion back at me. “So wha t is thi s place?”
I smile a little too big. “Lily Bloom’s. It’ll be a floral sho p in about
two mont hs ’ time. ”
I swea r, hi s who le face light s up with pride. “No way,” he says. “You
did it? You’re actually openi ng up your own busines s?”

I nod. “Yep . I fig ured I might as wel l try it whi le I’m still young
eno ugh to bounc e back from failure. ”
One of hi s ha nds is ho lding the ice agains t my ank le, but the other
one is wrapped around my bare foot. He’s brushi ng hi s thumb back
and forth, like it’s no big dea l tha t he’s touchi ng me. But his ha nd on
my foot is way more no ticea ble tha n the pain in my ank le.

“I look ridiculous, hu h?” he asks, staring down at hi s solid red
ones ie.
I shru g. “At lea st you went with a no n- cha racter cho ice. It gives it a
bit more maturity tha n the Spong eB ob option. ”
He laughs , and then hi s smile disappea rs as he lea ns hi s hea d int o
the door bes ide hi m. He stares at me apprec iativel y. “You’re ev en
pret tier in the daytime. ”

Moment s like thes e are why I absolutel y ha te ha ving red hair and
fair skin. The em barra ssment does n’t onl y sho w up in my cheek s—m y
who le face, arms, and nec k grow flushed .
I res t my hea d agains t the wall behi nd me and stare at hi m just like
he’s staring at me. “You want to hea r a na ked truth?”
He no ds.

“I’ve want ed to go back to your roof on more tha n one occasion
sinc e tha t ni ght . But I was too scared you’d be there. You make me
kind of ner vous.”
His fing ers pause thei r strokes agains t my foot. “My turn?”