Page 97 of Gunnar

“For the coffee?”

“For that look on your face.”

I blink, caught off guard, but he’s busy peeling the lid off his own cup.

“What did you get?” I ask.

“The same thing.”

I give him a suspicious look. “I did not have you pegged as a pumpkin spice kind of guy.”

He takes a sip, considering it. “Guess I like to try new things.”

I set the lid back on my cup, expecting him to pull away any second.

But he stays where he is, sitting back in the driver’s seat, holding the cup on his knee, looking out through the windshield.

“Don’t we need to head back?” I ask.

“No rush,” he says. “I want to give you the full experience.”

“How do you mean?”

He nods toward the window. “See those people in the café? They’re looking out. Same thing here.”

I grin at him. “I love it.”

He leans back, still watching the street. “Nice little place.”

“It is,” I say, taking it in properly now. “Like something out of a movie.”

“Reminds you of home?”

“Not really,” I say. “I’m used to big city buildings. But when I was a kid… yeah. This is what I dreamed of. Safe. Quiet.”

He’s silent for a beat. “It’s starting to grow on me,” he says at last. “When all this is over, I’d like to take a stroll down the street with you.”

My breath catches, and for a second, I don’t know what to do with that.

I take a sip, letting it sit on my tongue.

“How is it?” he asks.

“It’s perfect.” I sigh. “Coffee and dessert at the same time.”

He wrinkles his nose. “That doesn’t make sense.”

“It does,” I say. “It’s like having pumpkin pie and coffee together.”

He gives me a look. “Why not just order the pie as well?”

I laugh. “Because sometimes it’s not pie time yet.”

I finish the drink faster than I meant to and set the empty cup in the holder.

He glances at it. “You hungry?”

“Yeah,” I say.