PTE

-CREAM

L

forgot how to breathe with him around. By now, I had mastered

ing in the living room on a Saturday morning with a book o

!" Vivienne's voice r

ed softly. "Give me two

is weekend,"

y. I'm a man of m

ned it right side up. Naturally, they were going out without me. I told m

he doorway with his car ke

aid, much

you c

peared behind him, and her smil

Adrian sa

er arms. "It's su

family," he replied

ra and Vivienne glared at me a

closing my book. "I d

he said. "Come on, Ele

should ha

e my brain could catch up

led her eyes so hard I was surprised they did

Adrian while Clara and I sat on opposite ends of the back. Vivienn

wheel, then forced myself

shop was small and bright, with pi

drian asked quietly w

ine," I sa

the questio

then blurte

an eyebrow

vanilla?" I asked

s just very s

safe,"

red across his f

voice. "You sure you don't want to

I'm sure vanilla is

laugh. "Okay. One very dan

eir cones to a table by the window and left two seat

ty table in the corner, our

y committed to

I replied. "It's

t hate you

ing him a look that s

th great enthusiasm," he a

ft and surprised. It was the first time I had laughed

hough he was satis

" I asked, genu

use it much," he sai

to," I said, giving him a f

ened. "How are you

e given him the polite answer I gave Victo

Like everyone already knows how

s," Adrian said. "They

survived?" I aske

g back. "My parents died, and Uncle Victor took me in. The girls were

I said. "I

ging, but his eyes didn't match the shru

atched the twins when he t

your famil

people. They've just

e of it," he said, like

lfway to my mouth.

obody marries into this house in days

he was being kind, or whether I ought to

d gently. "I won't as

nk y

r n

we were just two ordinary people eating ice cream on a S

ot some,"

hat?" I

t he meant, his thumb brushed the corn

t, neither

d for one long second, the whole shop, the music a

and back as though h

cone. She wasn't smiling now. She looked like someo

in films, and I slid my arms into it without meeting his eyes. His

a scrolled through her phone. Adrian drove with both hands on the wheel and s

n my pockets and my heart doing s

gers touched somethi

n from the shop, wrapped in a napkin. Ther

try somethin

t, I stoppe

ifted to the mirror and met mine. He

fist aroun

first bin we passed. I was a married woman, and he was my husband's nep

, opened the drawer of my dressing ta

rawer quietly, as i