Ariella never saw Mike like a brother; she only loved his goofball personality and flair for creativity. Mike never dreamed that bubbly and fierce Ariella would be interested in him. Once she confesses she's crushed on him for years, Mike staunchly...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I finger the locket dangling from my neck as Grayson holds the door to the theater open. "Thank you so much for this. Who picked it out?"
"Ella, of course," he says as we round the corner to the open room. "You know I'd do a terrible job of doing your vibe justice, and AJ wouldn't bother to take it seriously."
"There?" I point to a row and Gray nods.
"Follow me," he says.
The theater is half-full, but the movie doesn't start for another few moments. Previews blare in the darkened theater as Grayson sheds his jacket, asking in a hushed tone, "So, what are those four seeing?"
"Some Prince movie? I can't remember. Oh, I made these last week and figured you'd want one."
I root around in my purse until my fingers enclose around a brownie in a plastic baggie.
Gray cheers and plucks it from my hand. "Thanks!" he says, grasping my hand and placing a kiss on the back.
"Hey, keep those hands where I can see 'em, Teller."
My brother's goading tone drifts from two rows below as his group shuffles into the row. Lukey sits on the edge of the chair, and the seat folds as he slides down. I smirk, recalling I've never seen him settle in at the movies any other way.
Gray nudges me. "He's not serious, right?"
The buttered popcorn shudders in the bucket as I shake it back and forth. "Nope; he knows we're friends."
"Hmm."
I pop a few pieces into my mouth, pass the tub to him, and dig my phone out of my jacket pocket.
📱 ARIELLA What happened to your romance movie?
📱 LUKE Mike turned on the charm and won them over.
ARIELLA No surprise there. Please don't make out in front of me.
LUKE Okay.
ARIELLA Michael needs to promise, too.
MICHAEL I won't if you don't.
ARIELLA I wasn't the one hoeing out in the lobby.
MICHAEL Don't be jealous.
I suck in a breath. If only it could be that easy.
***
Grayson laughs as I jump and grab his arm for the hundredth time. "This is awful," I whine under my breath, hiding my face behind my hands.
He glides the armrest between us up, and motions for me to scooch closer. I duck under the arm he winds around me and tug my jacket collar higher.
Another jump-scare leaves my heart stuttering and Grayson chuckling into my ear, tightening his grip.
