Page 91 of Break Points and Face Offs

“Rosie?”

“Yes?”

“Everything okay?”

I stiffen. “Why wouldn’t it be?”

He studies me with a mug in his hand and I force the stupid fantasy out. That is not going to happen. Not only is he unsuitable, I told him he is. There’s no coming back from that, surely? I’m lucky he still wants to be around me at all.

21

WILL

Iglance at the clock in the coffee shop and wince. My boss asked if I could stay a little later tonight because he needs the extra hands, but I’m gonna miss the library closing and there are a few books I really needed to grab before the weekend.

I race through the options, but there aren’t any. There’s nothing I can do. I’ll just have to make it work without the books for now.

There’s a lull in customers, so I come out from behind the counter to clean the tables and refill the milk and water jugs. I check there’s enough sugar packets and napkins out. See if the trash can needs emptying. While I’m putting the trash out in the alleyway, I check my phone and see a text from Priestley.

Need a ride home from work? Do you want me to get food or shall we eat later?

I chew my lip. Fuck, it’s nice having someone take the load off a little. A thought comes into my head, but it makes me uneasy. I don’t wanna take advantage, Priestley’s already doing enough by picking me up and getting us food. I put the feelers out, just in case.

Are you swinging by the library today by any chance?

He replies as I’m heading back into the coffee shop.

Can do. What do you need?

Relief washes over me.

A few books? Is that ok?

Of course. Send me the codes and I’ll grab them.

I fucking love that I can just send him a bunch of numbers and random-seeming letters and he’ll know what I need. He’s just made my life about a million times easier and he doesn’t even seem to realize it.

Thanks Rosie

No problem

…

Dots appear. I watch my phone while I wait to see what he’s going to send. But then they disappear.

Priestley comes to get me when my shift ends. Not only did he grab my books, but he has Chinese take-out, too. My stomach growls at the smell.

“Hungry?”

“Starving. You’re a saint.”

He snorts a laugh. “Never been called that before.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything.”

There’s a hockey game on, so we eat in front of the TV. I sit on the floor because I prefer eating like that, and I can feel Preistley behind me, see his foot in its high-quality sock on the floor next to me.

“Why is he going into that box?” Priestley asks.