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“Did you mean it?” Chloe asks, her voice quieter than before. “What you said on
TV today? About everyone here?”
I reach out and take both of their hands in mine, aware of how clammy my
palms are but not caring in the slightest.
“Every single word,” I assure her, my eyes flicking between Chloe and Leah.
“You both have been with me through thick and thin. I couldn’t have asked for
better friends.”
Leah’s eyes glisten, a testament to the emotional weight of our journey together.
“And we couldn’t have asked for a better friend than you, Abby. You make this
place feel like home.”
“I second that,” Chloe says, squeezing my hand.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt“No matter where life takes us,” I continue, “know that nothing—no cook-off, no
restaurant reviews, and definitely no drama—will ever come between us again.”
‘We’ll hold you to that,” Leah says with a playful wink.
“We don’t have to,” Chloe counters. “Because I know she means it.”
There’s a pause as the three of us blink our tears away and take another sip.
Then, with a grin, Leah leans on my shoulder.
“Man,” she says, letting out a sigh. “Maybe I should work here. I feel left out.”
Chloe chuckles. “Yeah, like you wouldn’t cry if a customer is mean to you.”
Leah giggles. “You’re right. I think I’m better suited in an office, tucked away
from the general public.”
I’m just about to open my mouth to say something else when the music
suddenly becomes almost deafeningly loud. The three of us turn to see Anton
standing by the stereo, swaying back and forth to the music.
“Abby! Come show us how you move!” Anton shouts over the music, beckoning
me toward the makeshift dance floor between tables.
I laugh, setting down my glass. “All right, you asked for it!”
Anton grins, his eyes twinkling in the dim light. “In France, we have a saying:
‘Life is a grand dance, and we’re all just trying to keep up.’ So let’s dance!”
“I’ll do my best!” I promise, stepping into the open space.
We both get into it, the spirit of the night giving permission for unfiltered joy.
Anton kicks up a leg and then twirls dramatically, his chef’s apron swinging
around him like a matador’s cape. I mimic him, throwing in a few silly moves of
my own—a mix of the robot and some awkward moonwalking.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm“Oh my god, what is that?” Leah asks, doubled over with laughter as she
captures the whole thing on her phone.
“It’s the ‘Abby Shuffle,’ patent pending!” I shout over the music. Chloe is
laughing so hard she nearly spills her drink.
Anton and I finish off with a mock bow and curtsy, soaking in the applause and
laughter from our friends. It’s silly, it’s fun, and it’s the kind of thing that makes
life worth savoring.
The urge to follow him is too strong to resist.
He’s leaning against the brick wall, his head tilted back. His eyes are wandering
the night sky, although the city lights block out the stars. Reаd at
Dramąnоvеls.coм
He looks over as I approach. There’s a flicker of something in his eyes that I
can’t quite read, followed by a softening of his gaze.
“Hey,” he says.
“Hey,” I return. I hold up the bottle and shake it slightly. “Need some company?”
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