Page 159 of Micah

What he sees when he looks at me.

Whether last night was the beginning of something...

Or simply the first page of a story we're about to write together.

Until then, I'm content to sit here with these wonderful women.

To laugh.

To eat too many bagels.

To pretend, for just a little while longer, that the hardest thing I'll have to decide today is whether French vanilla creamer tastes better than hazelnut.

Honestly?

These two are the best kind of distraction.

And I have a feeling, they might just become the best kind of friends.

I shake off my inner worries and focus on the present while Esme gets a frying pan going with bacon.

“Okay, fine. But I'm serious,” Bit says, turning back to me. “We've been waiting for those two stubborn mules to get together forever.”

I blink.

“Wait...”

My smile slowly disappears.

“You thought we should get together?”

Esme snorts as she expertly flips bacon, then pivots to spread cream cheese onto a toasted bagel.

“Honey, please,” she says.

She doesn't even look up.

“The whole ranch knew.”

My jaw falls open.

“The whole ranch?”

Bit nods enthusiastically.

“Oh, yeah.”

“Benji knew it before Micah figured it out.”

“Sawyer knew, too.”

“Alex definitely knew.”

“Alex?” I squeak.

“He lost twenty bucks.”

“What?”