We exchange smiles and then turned to attend to our respective tasks. I was on my way to more torture from being in Harley’s presence. She had to take care of her little guy.

No contest. I drew the short straw on this one.

As I made my way to our table at the other end of the long hall, I could see Harley was looking outside the window, lost in thought. Even after I’d sat down, it was like she hadn’t noticed I’d returned.

I told you. You’re the only one whose world was shaken, alright, Aerin?

I smiled at Sheryl, who was holding the chocolate butter cream cupcake, eyebrows arched in a question.

We shared a laugh, and I motioned to her to go ahead and start on the cupcake.

“I’m enjoying the rest of my salad, so don’t wait for me,” I said as I nodded at her, to signal again that she could have the cupcake.

Harley finally turned to look at the two of us, chuckling at something as silly as a cupcake.

She smiled and asked, “What was that?”

I returned her smile and answered, “I told Sheryl earlier that I anticipated she’d have designs on the dessert that we were supposed to share, so I decided to get her one. And then get myself another one.”

“Tsk, tsk, Sheryl,” Harley said with a teasing voice, gently poking Sheryl on her ribs, “Aren’t you supposed to be laying off the sugar?”

Sheryl had just opened her mouth to take her second bite of the cupcake, and I could see that she’d genuinely had second thoughts about doing so.

But then, she pleaded with Harley, “I promise not have any sugar with the iced tea and coffee until Aidan gets back, if you don’t tell him I had this tonight, ok?”

Harley laughed lightly, and prodded her gently, “So no other desserts until Aidan gets back?”

We both laughed when Sheryl made a crossing sign on her chest and took a satisfying bite off the cupcake at the same time.

Harley turned to me with dazzling smile that I swear was designed to melt my newly-constructed resolve to keep away from her.

“What about you?” she asked with a teasing glint in her eye, “can’t lay off the sugar either?”