redith.
We had barely stepped off the escalator when Draven slowed his stride.
"Which ice cream store does Dennis usually take you to?" He asked, keeping his gaze on .
I narrowed my eyes. That was the last thing I expected him to ask, as I never thought ’going for ice cream’ would be part of today’s itinerary.
So, my mind scrambled as I tried to recall the na of that ice cream store, but nothing ca up. I had never bothered rembering the na. Dennis was always the one dragging there.
"I... don’t rember," I admitted, a little embarrassed at the fact that I hadn’t taken note of the na of such a good place, especially with Draven looking to take there.
But regardless of the thoughts trying to weigh down, Draven nodded as if my mistake didn’t matter at all.
"It’s fine," he said as his steady eyes found mine. "Would you be alright with trying a new place?"
Sothing warm spread through imdiately. I hadn’t expected him to suggest it, but the idea of sharing sothing new with him made my heart skip.
I smiled before I could stop myself. "Yes. I would like that."
He didn’t say anything after that, but the faint curve of his lips suggested he knew all my thoughts, though I doubted that.
But in my head, I thought that maybe things were better this way. Draven and I could create mories in this new ice cream store he is taking to.
And off we went.
---
When the car finally stopped, I looked up to see a small shop tucked neatly between taller buildings.
Its pastel sign was painted with swirls of color, inviting and warm. It was what made it charming.
Draven stepped out first, coming around to open my door. His n lingered by the cars, but none followed us.
Inside, the ice cream shop, the air was sweet and cold. Glass cases lined with tubs of ice cream in every shade imaginable stretched before us. A little bell jingled as the door closed behind us.
"Pick whatever flavour you want," Draven said to as soon as we stopped at the counter.
I decided to keep things simple.
The woman behind the counter smiled. "What would you like, Ma’am."
I peered into the tubs—strawberry, honeycomb, a deep purple one I had never seen—and pulled a face at the obvious choices.
Draven watched with that quiet look he has when he is enjoying whatever I do. "What do you want?" he asked.
"The purple one looks interesting," I said impulsively. "It looks like it’s been mashed with so wild blueberries or black plums. And it almost matches the colour of my eyes and my phone, so, I will give it a try."
He raised an eyebrow. "Is that a legitimate reason to choose a flavor?"
"Of course, it is. You should think like ." I nudged him. "And you can get whatever you want."
He shook his head, as if giving up on arguing with my sense of reasoning and pointed at a dark, rich-looking scoop. "Dark chocolate for ."
We ordered two small cups amidst the low murmur of other Human custors, and the clerk handed them over.
I stuck my spoon in, took a taste, and the sweetness hit clean. It was better than I expected. So, I held out the cup without thinking.
"Try it," I said to Draven.
He narrowed his eyes at it, glanced at briefly as if second-guessing, and then finally took a small spoonful.
Then he made a face as if to pretend it was ordinary, then looked up at with a half-smile. "Not bad," he admitted.
Next, we carried our cups to a small corner table by the window. It was set for four, but Draven slid into the seat facing the door and left the one opposite him for .
Though he didn’t say why he did that, and I didn’t ask, I already knew he wanted the view of the entrance—the better angle if sothing happened.
"Do you have so other place of interest you would like to visit before we head back ho?" Draven inquired.
I scooped so of my ice cream with my spoon and replied, "I don’t know... I’m not really sure."
Earlier, I hadn’t known we would be coming to the ice cream shop after shopping, so after this little surprise, my brain totally shut down.
"Let know when you think of sothing," he said to .
Just as I nodded, the bell above the door rang, but I didn’t look up. Not until a shadow fell across our table.
I glanced sideways, and to my surprise, Dennis was here with Jeffery right behind him.
Dennis grinned as if he’d been waiting for this very mont. "Well, look at that, ice cream without us?"
Jeffery only gave a slight nod of greeting, but his eyes lingered on Draven, waiting for his response.
My spoon clinked against the side of my cup. So much for "just us."
Jeffery settled next to Draven while Dennis dropped into the chair beside like he owned it.
"Don’t tell you are upset I followed you here."
I jabbed my spoon into the ice cream and refused to look at him. "I know you can’t do without teasing , but just keep your lips sealed and sit quietly today. Don’t test my patience, I’m not in a good mood."
He leaned in a little. "I thought we were best friends."
"Best friends fight. It’s normal." I finally turned, eting his grin with a flat stare. "And co to think of it, I’m seriously considering ending this relationship."
His brows shot up imdiately. "Just because I’m not giving you the chance to spend alone ti with a male specie?"
"Well, that male specie is my husband!"
The words slipped out of my lips sharper than I intended, and imdiately I felt the weight of their eyes on .
My face ward, and for a heartbeat, I wished I could bite my tongue. ’Great. Now I sound like a possessive wife.’
But no matter how remorseful I felt at that mont, how could I show it?
Imdiately, I lifted my chin and forced myself to et their gazes one by one. "What?"
Jeffery was the first to look away, clearing his throat. Draven, on the other hand, reached across the table and gently wrapped his hand around mine.
The warmth of his palm, the steady squeeze, worked its way through my nerves, calming almost instantly.
I allowed myself to breathe until Dennis opened his mouth again.
"Your emotions are on the high today," he teased, as his eyes narrowed with mischief. "Could it be that you are on—"
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