Page 65 of Troublemaker: The Big Picture Edition

It’s magical.

I want to say so, but there’s a lump in my throat.

“Hope you don’t mind sitting on the ground,” he says, placing the tray on a low table at the center of the rugs. The table is already set with plates and cutlery and wineglasses and an open bottle of wine. “The skunks don’t usually come around until later. We should probably eat fast, though.” He grins at me. “We’ll have dessert inside.” He winks.

I finally realize there’s soft music playing out here. There must be built-in outdoor speakers. I settle myself cross-legged on a flat pillow on one side of the table and arrange my flowy skirt around myself like a princess.

I’ve gone from feeling like I’m in an Instagram post to feeling like I’m in a fairy tale. The kind of naughty fairy tale that I never knew I wanted to live in.But I want to live here.

Alex pushes up his sleeves, revealing more of his delicious forearms, and sits down across from me.

He pours us each a glass of wine and then holds up his glass. I pick up mine.

“To winter break,” he says.

“To winter break.”

We clink glasses, and I take a big gulp of much more expensive Malbec than what I had brought and lick my lips.

“So, Ryder’s at a sleepover?”

“Yep. At my friend Nico’s house. Our boys are the same age.”

“That’s nice. Does he know I’m here?”

“Nope.”

I take another sip of wine and put the glass back down. “I’d like to keep this under wraps… Do people still sayunder wraps?”

“Only the really cool people. And I agree that we should.”

“Even from Ryder, I mean.”

“I know what you mean. I think he’s actually pretty good at keeping secrets. And I think he’d be really happy to know that we’re seeing each other. But yeah. Let’s be discreet.” He smiles at me.

I can’t stop smiling at him.

“This food looks amazing.”

“Help yourself.”

I keep smiling at him. “Are you hungry?”

“Not for food.”

We stare at each other for a hot second. His jaw tightens again, and then we both stand and he scoops me up into his arms, carrying me back to the porch.

“It’s so beautiful out here, though. Thank you for setting it up. I feel kind of bad.”

“Well I promise you’re gonna feel really good in about thirty seconds.”

CHAPTER 24

ALEX

Idon’t know how my earlobes survived thirty-two years of neglect from women, but Emilia is enthusiastically making up for it as I carry her through the sliding doors into the kitchen.

I kick off my flip-flops and slide the door shut with my elbow.