I couldn’t have cared less what the smallminded thought about the idea of Kennedy hanging out with me. They no longer got to define me. Only I did.

“Hi, we’ll take two cones with two scoops each of blue moon,” Kennedy said as we approached the front counter. She reached into her purse to pay, and when I went to pull out my credit card, she shoved it away. “Not this time, Moon. It’s on me.”

She paid for our ice cream, and we went back to our walk. On our way, we were stopped by the twins from Stephen King’s The Shining. They were wearing matching outfits. Matching fucking outfits. Honestly, what kind of grown women were out here matching their fucking outfits?

“Oh my, hi there, Kennedy,” Kate said in her singsong fake voice. She glanced over at me. “Jax.”

“Kate. Louise,” I mumbled, not the least bit interested in the conversation that was about to take place.

“Out for a little sweet treat?” Louise questioned, eyeing the cones in our hands. “That looks delicious. I might have to get me a scoop once I’m off this keto diet. Doesn’t that look delicious, Kate?”

“It looks like a carb attack if you ask me,” her sister replied. Then she turned to Kennedy. “Now, I don’t mean to pry, but there have been a lot of rumors going around town about the two of you.”

“Oh?” Kennedy asked, raising an eyebrow. “Is that so?”

“Why, yes it is. You’re the talk of Havenbarrow. Just like celebrities, it seems.” She giggled. Why is she giggling? “Now, I don’t want to get into your business. If anything, Louise and I pride ourselves on staying out of other people’s affairs, but is it true?”

“Is what true?” Kennedy asked.

Louise nudged her. “You know—that you two are in a relationship? Or is it just a fling? Maybe like sex buddies. Friends with benefits? I know he’s doing your lawn work, so perhaps you two have grown closer during that time. I’m not prying, but I am curious if the two of you are—”

“Woof!”

My eyes widened as I turned to Kennedy, who was looking at the twins with wide eyes. And she…barked. Fuck me sideways, Kennedy Lost was barking at the twins, and it officially became the highlight of my life.

The look of fear on both Kate’s and Louise’s faces would be forever glued in my head.

Kennedy kept barking at them as they began to back up slowly, completely confused by her actions.

So I did the only thing I could think to do.

I barked at them, too.

They scurried away like the roaches they were, and I was sure the news of said barking would be revealed at the next town meeting. For some reason, that pleased me.

“I could’ve really used you in this town years ago,” I joked.

“I’m not leaving any time soon, so I’ll have to work on deepening my growls.” She finally had a chance to lick at the ice cream that was beginning to melt down her hands. Her whole body froze as her eyes widened in shock. “Holy crap! That tastes like everything good in this world.”

“I told you!”

“No, seriously. It’s better than sex.”

I narrowed my eyes. “You’ve been having sex with the wrong people.”

She giggled, and her cheeks turned slightly red. “Whatever. All I’m saying is you were right.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “Wait—I need to hear you say that again. It has a nice ring to it.”

“I’m never saying those words again, so keep them in your memories.”

I poked at her side. “Say it again.”

“No.” She giggled, swirling away from me. “Never.” I began tickling her side, and she squeaked. “Stop it!”

“Not until you say it again.”

“Neverrrr!” she dragged out as I began tickling her more and more until she surrendered. “Okay, okay, you were right!” she exclaimed, tossing her hands up in the air, and as her hand went up, so did her ice cream cone, which she released from her grip. As everyone knows, what went up had to come down.

Right on top of my head.

Kennedy stepped back, her face red from holding in her laughter as melted blue moon dripped down my skin, making the mess of all messes all over my head.

Her hands landed on her hips as her chuckles began to slip out. “If that’s not the best form of instant karma, I don’t know what is.” She wiped my cheek with her finger where the ice cream was melting then licked it off.

And if she hadn’t been so fucking adorable and sexy as she licked her finger, I might’ve had enough nerve to be upset, but I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t do anything but smile like a fool.

“You think you’re funny, huh?” I smirked, shaking my head and knocking the cone to the ground.

“I’m a regular comedian. It’s just funny, you know, because blue moon is currently covering Moon. It’s like you two were meant to be one. It was a part of your desti—Jax!” she screamed as I smeared my cone on top of her head. For a second, I had a moment of panic that she’d be pissed about my action, but once I saw her cheeks rise higher and heard her laughter burst into the sky, my heart beat faster and faster.