Ivy
Hampton, Virginia
The margarita is stronger than I expected.
Not that I’m complaining.
I lean back into the corner of Lila’s couch, tucking one legging-clad leg under me as I take another sip, the salt from the rim still lingering on my lips.
The house feels warm and lived-in in a way that makes it easy to forget everything else for a little while—soft lighting, music playing low in the background, the faint scent of whatever candle Lila has burning tonight.
“Okay,” Lila says, clapping her hands once as she drops back onto the couch beside me, her engagement ring catching the lamplight.
She’s wearing an oversized “bride” sweatshirt Alinna and I had made for her.
The “i” is an F-22 Raptor and I’m pretty sure she hasn’t taken it off since we gave it to her last week.
“We are not getting off this topic until we figure out centerpieces.”
Alinna groans from beside me. “We’ve been on centerpieces for forty-five minutes.”
“Because you both keep rejecting all my ideas,” Lila shoots back, completely unbothered.
“You suggested mini Raptors,” I remind her, raising an eyebrow.
“They were on brand,” she insists.
“They were plastic,” Alinna counters. “Plastic does not go with delphiniums and ranunculus.”
Lila gasps like she’s been personally attacked, one hand flying to her chest. “You’re both just jealous because I’m planning the most iconic wedding of the decade.”
I snort, shaking my head. “You’re planning a wedding that Logan will somehow turn into a full-scale military operation.”
Her eyes light up. “Exactly.”
Alinna leans forward, squinting at her. “You’re enjoying this a little too much.”
“I’m marrying a demo pilot,” Lila says sweetly, wiggling her fingers so the ring catches the light again. “I want our wedding to be us.”
I laugh, taking another sip of my drink. “Oh, we know.”
Her gaze snaps to me, narrowing slightly in a way that instantly puts me on edge. “Speaking of demo pilots,” she says slowly, “how’s yours doing?”
“I don’t have one.”
Alinna perks up immediately. “Oh yes you do. How have we been here for nearly an hour and not discussed your cutie-pie roommate?" She crosses her legs, getting comfortable and adjusting the light pink lounge set she’s wearing like she’s settling in for entertainment.
Her phone lights up in her lap, briefly pulling her bright blue eyes from me.
I smirk when I catch Wells’s name glowing across her screen. “We can discuss him at the same time we discuss Wells.”
Her head jerks up so fast it’s almost comical, a blush already creeping up her neck. “We actually are just friends.”
Lila rolls her eyes. “Because you friend-zoned him. Not because he wants to be friends.”
Alinna types something quickly, then drops her phone back into her lap with exaggerated calm. “No. Actually, he friend-zoned me. Which is fine. I can’t be the cliché third friend of the group to end up with one of these pilots.”
“You’d be the second,” I rush to say.
Alinna and Lila exchange a look before dissolving into laughter.
“She’ll be the third,” Lila confirms like it’s obvious.
Alinna narrows her eyes at me, but she’s smiling. “Please, explain.”
I ignore Lila and press on, “Wells does not look at you like someone who sees a casual friend.”
Alinna scoffs, but the pink in her cheeks deepens.
“That’s just Wells, he’s a flirt. I’m sure it works really well for him in bars or airshows when girls are fawning all over him.
” She gives Lila a look like she knows Lila knows what she’s talking about.
“Besides, Wells looks at everyone like that.”
“He does not look at me like that,” Lila deadpans.
“Or me,” I add.
Alinna opens her mouth, closes it again, then shakes her head. “He’s charming with everyone.”
“He’s a sweetheart, yes, but does not flirt with me,” Lila says.
“Well obviously, you’re engaged to his wingman. That’d be royally screwed up.”
I raise a brow. “And why doesn’t he flirt with me?”
Alinna’s face breaks out into a full smile, like I just said exactly what she wanted me to. “That much is obvious.”
“Um. No it isn’t. I’m single and he barely knows Kyler.”
Lila snorts. “It’s not Kyler who’s made you off-limits.”
I roll my eyes, not even dignifying this with a response.
“So are you going to tell us about Dalton or not?” Alinna raises one perfect eyebrow and pins me with a look.
I blink innocently at her. “What about him?”
“Don’t play dumb,” Lila says, leaning forward. “You’re not immune to him, that much is clear.”
Heat creeps up my neck instantly. “He’s just my roommate.”
“Mm,” she hums, unconvinced. “A very attractive, very attentive, very clearly into-you roommate.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I say, which is a blatant lie.
Alinna snorts. “You’re a terrible liar.”
I press my lips together, trying—and failing—not to smile.
Lila’s eyes widen. “Alinna! Something happened.” Lila starts bouncing in her seat, nearly spilling her drink on the couch.
I groan, dragging a hand over my face. “Don’t—”
“You’re right! Something definitely happened,” Alinna shouts too closely to my ear, then grabs my arm. “Spill, right now!”
“There’s nothing to spill,” I say automatically.
“Liar,” they both say at the same time.
I exhale, staring down at my margarita like it might somehow save me. It doesn’t. “Okay,” I say finally, my voice quieter now, but there’s no hiding the smile that slips through anyway. “Things have just been…different.”
Lila leans in like she’s about to hear classified information. “Define different.”
I hesitate for half a second. “Flirty,” I admit.
Both of them freeze.
Then Lila lets out a noise that is somewhere between a squeal and a gasp. “I knew it.”
Alinna grins, pulling the claw clip out of her dark, glossy hair and redoing it. “Yes, yes, yes!” She sets her drink in her lap so she can clap enthusiastically.
I shake my head, laughing despite myself. “It’s not like—nothing’s happened, really. It’s just…” I trail off, trying to find the right words. “Every time we’re in the same room, it’s like there’s something there now. And we’re both pretending there isn’t.”
“That’s the best part,” Lila says immediately.
“Of course you would say that,” I mutter.
She just grins.
“But,” Alinna presses, her blue eyes dancing, “something did happen.”
I bite my lip and that’s all it takes.
Lila’s hand slams down on the arm of the couch. “Ivy!”
“Okay!” I laugh, holding my hand up in surrender, careful not to spill. “Okay, yes. Something happened.”
They both lean in so fast it’s almost aggressive.
“He came with me to my studio,” I say.
Lila’s brow lifts. “When?”
“Last night, after it was closed. I needed to dance but I couldn’t go alone, well he didn’t want me to, so I asked him to come with me instead.”
Alinna softens a little at that. “That’s actually really sweet.”
“It was,” I say, my voice quieter now without meaning to be. “He wasn’t on his phone and didn’t even pretend to read the book he brought.”
Lila smirks. “Of course he didn’t.”
I ignore her.
“And after…” I hesitate, the memory hitting all at once—his question, my confession, the memories.
The way I felt lighter even though he doesn’t know every detail.
And then the heated, heavy moments that followed where I couldn't focus on anything but how soft his lips looked and how badly I wanted to know what they tasted like.
“What?” Alinna prompts gently.
I exhale slowly. “We kissed.”
Silence.
Then, Lila absolutely loses it. “I knew it,” she practically yells, shooting up off the couch.
“Sit down,” I laugh, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back.
Alinna is grinning so wide it’s almost alarming. “Details. Immediately.”
I shake my head, but I can’t stop smiling now.
“It wasn’t—” I pause, searching for the right word. “It wasn’t like I expected.”
“Meaning?” Lila presses.
“Meaning it wasn’t just…physical,” I say softly. “It was really…gentle. And he—” I stop, my chest tightening slightly at the memory. “He just…held me. Not like I was this fragile creature in need of his protection, but like I was someone he wanted.”
“That’s a problem,” Lila says, a smile on her lips as she tosses her long dark hair over her shoulder.
I blink. “Excuse me?”
She points at me. “That’s exactly the kind of kiss that ruins your life.”
Alinna nods immediately. “She’s right.”
I huff out a laugh, but it’s weak. “Well, great.”
“No, seriously,” Lila continues. “That was what kissing Logan was like from that very first night. Trust me, you don’t come back from that”
“I don’t want to come back from it,” I admit before I can stop myself.
That earns me two very knowing looks.
I groan, dropping my head back against the couch. “It’s just—now every time I see him, I want to kiss him again.”
“Kiss who again?”
I freeze.
That voice is very much not one of the girls.
“Your timing is impeccable, babe.” Lila busts out laughing.
Slowly, I turn toward the entryway.
Logan is standing there, flight suit half unzipped, looking between the three of us like he just walked into something he definitely wants more information about. His gray-blue eyes land on me. “Again?” he repeats, one eyebrow lifting.
My entire body goes hot.
Lila bursts into laughter all over again. And Alinna is no help whatsoever.
Logan steps fully into the room, crossing his arms as a slow, knowing grin spreads across his face. “So,” he says casually, “Everett’s making moves?”
“Logan,” I warn, pointing at him.
“Oh no, this is fucking fantastic,” he continues, completely ignoring me. “I cannot wait to give him hell at work tomorrow.”
“You will do no such thing,” I say, horrified.
He just laughs. “I saw this coming a mile away.”
“Didn’t we all,” Lila mutters, still grinning into her drink.
Logan grins at her, then looks back at me, shaking his head slightly, amusement still written all over his face. “Man’s been gone for you since day one.”
My heart stumbles at that. Mostly because I don’t think that has anything to do with the reason he looks at me how he does. It’s not attraction, it's awareness. That he’s known my secret all this time. I recover quickly enough to glare at him. “If you say one word to him—”
He holds his hands up in mock surrender. “Relax. I won’t say anything.”
“I wouldn’t trust him,” Lila says, giggling. Logan smirks at me, then makes his way across the room to her, dropping a kiss in her hair before gently kissing her lips.
Then he looks back at me. “But I will one hundred percent tell Wells so he can start shit.” He flashes me the most innocent smile ever.
“Logan.”
He laughs again, heading toward the kitchen like he’s already moved on, but not before tossing one last comment over his shoulder. “Poor guy doesn’t stand a chance.”
Lila leans over, bumping her shoulder into mine. “He’s not wrong.”
I groan, dragging a hand over my face, but I can’t stop smiling.