Page 64 of The Publicity Stunt

“I’ll drive,” I quickly chime in. April scowls at me and I just lean forward to kiss it. She melts within seconds. April Moore is a lot of things. My best friend, my girlfriend, my Marvel partner for life. But the one thing she’s not is a good driver.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” Logan pops open his can, his eyes fixed to Shara. “What do you mean by ‘we’? Babe, we’re taking my motorcycle.”

“Actually, we’re not.” Shara looks up from the basket, turning to her boyfriend. “I’m not sitting on that thing. It goes way too fast and I don’t trust you with my life just yet.”

Logan’s face clouds with disappointment and April cuts in. “Can I sit on it, instead?”

“Hey!” I exclaim.

“Oh, sorry,” she says. “Do you also have a little sidecar for my boyfriend?”

“Okay, let’s all take a step back from the crazy talk,” I say. “There’s no way I’d fit in a sidecar. I’m way too tall.”

Logan wrinkles his forehead. “I’m sorry to break your little bubble, but only people who make out with me get to sit on my bike,” he says and wraps an arm around Shara, who’s busy rolling her eyes, trying not to smile.

“Maybe I should get one,” April says, head tilting upward, her nose brushing the underside of my jaw.

“What?”

“A bike,” she clarifies. “I think I should get a bike.”

“Please do no such thing.” I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and bend down to nudge my nose against hers. I let my fingers linger behind her ear a beat longer and start staring at her lips again.

“Why not?” She slides lower until her head is resting on my lap. My fingers make their way to the top of her head and I start playing with her hair. “I’d make such a badass biker chic. Ooh! We can get cute little matching helmets with our initials on them!”

I laugh. “You’re a ridiculous woman, April Moore.”

“Fine, I’ll sit in the sidecar. You can have the bike. As long as we have matching helmets, I don’t really care about the rest.”

“Noted, your highness. I’ll get you your helmets.”

Smiling, she closes her eyes and I go on massaging her head.

I’ll get you anything you want.

* * *

We arrive at the theater at five thirty and it’s fucking buzzing. It’s opening night forGreen Lanternand I honestly can’t figure out why this many people would want to watch it.

Logan and Shara already grabbed our tickets from the stand. April keeps looking around at the dozens of people bumping into each other, trying to get to the concession stand.

“Want me to get you some popcorn?” I lightly tug on her arm.

She shakes her head. “Can you get me a pack of Skittles instead?” she asks, standing on her toes to plant a soft kiss on my cheek.

Smiling, I narrow my eyes. “What was that for?”

“I also want a large Diet Coke.”

I buy April both of those things, along with a Dr Pepper for me. Logan finishes putting butter on his popcorn, Shara grabs a straw from the dispenser, and the four of us head into the theatre. Logan and Shara slide in, April goes next, and I sit on the outside.

I drape my jacket over the armrest and tear open her bag of Skittles.

The lights dim and the screen springs to life. A Coke commercial blares through the speakers right above our heads. Fifteen minutes later, the movie starts to play.

Over in the corner, Logan and Shara are arguing over the best kinds of candy, and I look around the theater. Jeez, it’s packed. I’m suddenly quite grateful for our little alcove.

April grabs some napkins and wipes the sticky residue off her fingers. As the minutes pass by, she leans closer.