He practically runs back into the house, leaving our silence behind. Charlotte looks like she’s about to cry as Edward reaches over and places a comforting hand on her shoulder.
“I think we should go,” Charlotte says, her voice breaking on the last word as she stands up.
“We still get to go to art class, right?” Clay asks, his voice small.
“Of course!” Charlotte says, coming around to our side of the table and pulling him in for a hug.
I frown at her, knowing she shouldn’t have said that. If Tris doesn’t want them to go then it’s his decision, whether all of us disagree with it or not.
She pulls away from him, but Clay doesn’t look so sure as his gaze meets mine. This is where I’m meant to reassure him too, but I’ve never given him nor Izzie false hope, so instead I stay silent.
Charlotte hugs Izzie before walking over to Nate and having a hushed conversation. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but from the frowning faces and their eyes that keep flicking toward the house, I know they’re talking about Tris.
Shortly afterward, heels clacking along the patio sound out as Charlotte leaves with Edward behind her.
I shake my head when Nate steps closer, my gaze meeting his. “I knew this was a bad idea.” I huff out a breath. “Something tells me this was all your idea and Charlotte came along for the ride.”
“Mischief follows me everywhere I go, what can I say?” He smirks but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes as his gaze falls to the kids.
I snort. “Mischief doesn’t follow you.” I raise a brow. “You are mischief.”
He shrugs. “Well can this piece of mischief help get all this cleared away?”
My gaze flits between him and the kids, knowing they need some kind of normal right now—I need normal right now. The anger is practically seeping out of the house.
“Sure.” I stand up, picking up two plates before turning to face Izzie. “If you help us then Uncle Nate will make you the biggest ice cream sundae.”
Izzie’s eyes brighten as she turns to Nate. “With lots of chocolate sauce?”
He narrows his eyes at me playfully before kneeling so he’s at Izzie’s height. “Only this once otherwise you’re going to turn into the chocolate monster.”
He scoops her up into his arms and tickles her, her giggles making the tension in the air lighter. “Uncle Nate!”
He chuckles and sets her down again. “Alright, kids, let’s help Amelia out.”
We all get to work, clearing the table and setting the plates and bowls in the kitchen before Nate pulls everything out to make them sundaes. He may be a health freak, but that doesn’t mean he can’t make one of the best sundaes I’ve ever seen. I’m practically drooling as I start washing the dishes.
He moves over to me once the kids are demolishing their ice cream, leaning his back against the counter next to the sink while still holding the tub of ice cream in his hand. He pushes the spoon into it, bringing it to his mouth as his eyes meet mine. I raise a brow, not believing what I’m seeing.
He swallows what’s in his mouth before saying, “What? A guy can indulge once in awhile.” He holds the spoon out toward me. “Want some?”
I watch him for a beat, getting caught in his eyes. The green is brighter, showing he’s in a playful mood. He may be trying to forget about what’s transpired this afternoon, and I’m more than willing to go along with it.
“Sure.” I shrug, not moving my eyes from his as I lean forward. The tip of the spoon meets my lips, the cold metal making me shiver—or is it the look in his eyes as he stares at my lips?
Opening my mouth fully, he places the spoon inside. He leans closer, his gaze flicking from my lips up to my eyes and back again as he pulls it out. I swallow the ice cream as the air around us crackles.
Clearing his throat, h
e moves back a step, digging the spoon back into the tub. “Want another bite?”
I swallow again, this time to try and pull myself together. “No, thanks.” I shake my head, plunging my hands back into the water.
“Oh, come on. Just one more bite, you know you want to.” He airplanes the spoon toward my mouth and I turn my head, stepping away from the sink. Water drips onto the floor from my hands as I hold them up to stop him, but he advances toward me anyway. “Where are you going? Just take a bite.”
I take several more steps back. “Don’t you come any closer, Nathan Cole.”
He tilts his head to the side, his lips now spread into a full-on grin as he lunges. I squeal, catching the kids’ attention as I spin around and run to the other side of the kitchen.