I shoot him a curious look.
"Violet helped me pick it out," he confesses.
"Because..."
He shrugs, playing aloof.
I play cool. "You bought me a suitcase because..."
"Good coffee, huh?" He pours himself half
a cup and takes a sip.
I tap my toe in an attempt to play cool. It doesn't help. I tap the other.
I take a sip.
I take a gulp.
This really is good coffee.
Mal smiles serenely. "Let's get dinner to celebrate the end of the school year."
"Tonight?"
"Friday. I'll make a reservation."
My eyes stay glued to the suitcase. Rolling duffel. Whatever. It's a gorgeous shade of raspberry and it has a million pockets. "When does Ethan get back?"
"Next week."
"Let's invite Joel and Kit." I keep my voice even, like inviting Kit means nothing to me. I'm not sure what it means right now. He hurt me running off like that, but I still want to be around him. "Make Ethan jealous."
Mal nods.
"You bought me a suitcase."
He chuckles. "I did."
"Because..."
He takes a sip of his coffee. "Because."
I stare at him.
He stares back with a smile.
I'm losing this staring contest. Badly.
I have to know. I set my coffee on the counter and clap my hands together. "Malcolm Strong, explain yourself!"
"We're doing a festival tour in Europe in late August."
He can't mean...
"You should come." His voice brightens. "You've worked hard. You deserve it. And it will be fun."
"But you always say the road is no place for an impressionable young woman."