“Hello Ever,” Zoe stepped forward, giving him a firm hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. She stepped back, brow furrowed, her hands remaining on his arms. “What’s wrong? You’re so stiff. You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

  “Wait, you’re…” Taylor slowly pointed at the vet. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water.

  “Don’t point,” Logan barked. “How many times have I told you?”

  Taylor’s hand was back by her side in a blink. “You’re the vet who won our business card prize from Mid-Summer Nights,” she was finally able to get out. “Zoe, right?”

  “Mm-hmm!” Zoe nodded. “Good memory!”

  “To answer your question Zoe, no it’s not too early for ice cream.” Logan gave Taylor a look. She yanked the stupefied Ever to the side, hooking him by the elbow.

  Zoe watched Ever stagger, cast a glance at Taylor but said nothing. Instead, she stepped up to the ice cream displays.

  “Ever said that you had two new flavors.” She crossed her arms, surveying the ice creams and sorbets.

  “Yes,” Logan replied, perking up. “It’s the cinnamon and the pumpkin spice.”

  She looked back over her left shoulder at him. “Pumpkin spice, yeah?”

  He nodded slowly; she did too, synchronizing herself with him. When he realized what she was doing, he dragged himself back to the surface and conjured up a weak: “Yes.”

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “OK.” Zoe replied. It came out as a half-whisper with a smile on the side, conspiratorial and encoded only for him to understand. She turned back to Logan. “Pumpkin spice, thanks. In a cup.”

  “Hey.” Taylor hissed. Ever glanced sideways at her. “When did you start going out with the vet?”

  ‘Going out’. Based on the context, Ever didn’t think it meant what it literally meant. Usually, he would have asked Taylor, but right now, he couldn't even look at her.

  “Actually,” Zoe said, turning around. “How rude of me. Did you want anything, Ever?” She looked sideways, “and…”

  “Taylor.”

  “Taylor,” she repeated, nodding in greeting before turning back around. “Are they allowed to have some?”

  “You know what,” Logan said, clapping once. The sound dissipated Ever’s remaining brain fog. “Why don’t we all have some. We can always come back around if another customer comes.”

  Logan served up three cones - two pumpkin spices and one cinnamon - and brought them across to Taylor and Ever. Taylor joined her uncle, while Ever took the seat next to Zoe, each pair on a separate table. They licked in silence for a moment, looking anywhere but at each other.

  “So what do you think, Zoe?” Logan asked.

  “Of Ever?” She replied, spoon upside down on her tongue.

  Logan chuckled and Taylor snorted.

  “Of the pumpkin spice ice cream.”

  “Aaaaah,” Zoe said, blushing slightly. “It’s nice, but I’ll be honest, I prefer it in drink form.”

  “Cool,” Logan said. “Good feedback.”

  “Anyway, I’d best be off. Thanks again for the ice cream!” Zoe stood up, metal chair scraping along the floor. She gave Ever’s hand resting on the table a quick squeeze, threw the used cup and spoon in the bin and left, closing the door on the three scoopers.