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Woah…well, fuck you very much, you handsome shallow jerk.I should have known he was too hot to be a decent human being. Also, did he think this is a setup? If it is, Oliver and Finn are playing a long game just to introduce their dad to someone. They wouldn’t do that. At least not without telling me.
“Hi Lucy, what can I get you?” Oh, it’s my turn. I must have zoned out. I rush toward the woman with blue pixie-cut hair and a kind smile.
“Hello, Liz, can I please have a hot cocoa for here and my usual ice coffee to go?” As the weather has gotten colder, I’ve started ordering something warm to drink and an iced coffee for the following day to enjoy from the warmth of my apartment.
While I’m waiting for my drinks, I need a plan of how to act after overhearing that man declare his disinterest for me. Ugh, the universe can be so cruel. Why does he get to be my dream guy in the looks department and with an awful personality? I wonder why he is even here. He must be visiting, but I’ll get more details from Hannah and Mialater. Hopefully, he isn’t staying long. I have no interest in spending much time with a man who feels I’m sonot his typethat he needs to declare it out loud.
“Here ya go, Lucy.” Liz hands me a mug and saucer with my hot chocolate topped with marshmallows and the to-go cup with my coffee.
I thank Liz and head back to our table. There’s no way I’m going to acknowledge what I heard. These are my friends and I’m going to enjoy my evening. I’ll ignore that cranky, old,attractiveman for the rest of the night.
During the next two hours, most of my conversations are with the girls. Oliver and Finn pop in and out of our discussions, but they are mostly focused on their dad. It isn’t until they guess what I’m reading that Henry decides to acknowledge me again. Finn explains the game to his father and prompts him to make a guess and I grab my e-reader from my bag. Henry declines, “I don’t feel it would be right for me to assume Miss Taylor’s reading preferences.”
“Seriously, Dad. Just pick a book genre. Join the fun,” Oliver encourages.
“A dictionary,” Henry says with a smirk on his face. It would be considered a very handsome smirk in a more agreeable context.
Everyone else makes their guesses, then I turn my e-reader to show them the cover ofBeowulf. Having first read the epic fantasy novel in high school, I find myself going back to it year after year, like an old friend. Mia wins, and at the next gathering, she will not need to pay for her tea, not that she ever does—Finn always picks up the tab for her. Their mother must be romantic becauseit’s becoming more clear by the moment that they didn’t get it from Henry.
“Beowulf. I’m impressed, Lucy. If you don’t mind me asking, what was the book you read beforeBeowulf?” Henry asks, showing me more attention than he has since I first entered the coffee shop.
“Persuasion. It’s a Jane Austen book.” Not many people recognize the title as it is one of her lesser-known novels.
Henry’s eyes begin to roll and are soon followed by his entire head. Someone’s dramatic. “Well, I take back what I said.”
The disgust on my face must be clear, Oliver interjects, “Dad, don’t start.” He turns to me. “Don’t take it personally, Lucy. My father here prides himself on his self-proclaimed fridge heart.”
While Henry continues to scowl at his son, I take this advantage to poke the bear. “That’s a shame. So you’re not a romantic?” Henry meets my eyes.
“Love, as you so call it from your books, and I assume the movies and TV series that you watch regularly are manufactured to appeal to those who believe in such fairytales.”
“Spoken like someone who has had their heart broken,” I reply. His head jerks back in my direction, and his eyes lose their confidence for a brief moment. “I believe in the way Jane Austen’s characters make me feel just as much as I enjoy spending time with Beowulf and Grendel. It doesn’t mean I think they are real, but the enjoyment they bring to my life is very much real.”
For the remainder of the evening, I avoid Henry’s gaze until it comes time to say goodnight. Buttoning my coat, Ithank everyone for another wonderful night, then look down at the table to grab my to-go iced coffee. When I look up, those deep brown eyes are staring back at me.
Careful, Lucy, don’t get lost in those eyes.
Okay, I’ve got this. With a small smile that keeps my teeth concealed, I tilt my head as if I am addressing an elderly person, letting my snarky tone come through. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Brooks.” Before he can answer, I turn on my heels and walk out the door.
Since leaving the coffee shop, I feel like I’ve made multiple attempts at shaking Henry Brooks and his beautiful physical features from my memory, but each one was a failure. In an effort to distract myself, I’ve already changed into my pj’s, completed my before-bed routine, and now am trying to decide what to read. I tried to return toBeowulf, but now knowing it is a book Henry approves of, I’ve temporarily lost interest.
As I mindlessly scroll through my e-book collection, my phone’s text alert goes off.
GIRLS GROUP CHAT
Hannah
Sorry about that Lucy.
Mia
We should have warned you.
Be cool, don’t show these girls that you were too affected.
Lucy
Warned me about what?
