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“Yeah. You didn’t use any exclamation points. Very off.”
Covering my mouth so the snort that escapes me doesn’t scare off customers, I laugh with Grant. He knows me well enough already to understand my moods through text? This man is amazing. So amazingly sweet.
“So, I’ll ask again, this time face-to-face. How are you doing?”
Emotion clogs in my throat. How am I doing? That was a weighted question.
“I’m doing okay. No, really,” I say when Grant’s eyes flare in disbelief. “I was sad this morning right after Luna left but I’m good now. I was just being silly.”
“You aren’t being silly. I think you told me yesterday that this is the first time you’ll be away from each other for longer than a couple days. That would be hard for anyone.”
I don’t respond. I don’t think I can. So I just shrug.
“How about I take you out tomorrow. Help get you out of that empty apartment.”
Of all the follow-up questions I’d thought he’d ask after finding out I’m sad, I hadn’t expected one like that.
“Did you make the trek here just to check up on me?” I know he’s not here for an order of donuts. Nor would I let him order one. Firstly, because yesterday I’d delivered a dozen that he admitted he wouldn’t eat. And secondly because I knew his strict food regimen begins today. It’s freaky how I know this much about him already. Dare I say: we were friends now?
“Yes,” he says simply.
“Well, there’s not much on our menu that I think you can eat so can I grab you a complimentary black coffee? Perhaps with an espresso shot?”
“Instead of that I’d love to take you out tomorrow.”
“Those were baked fresh…wait. What?”
He chuckles at my complete lack of tact. “Lexi. I’d really like to spend some time with you tomorrow.”
I’m stunned. Completely out of words. I’d given him the perfect opportunity to take back his offer of getting together – I would not call it a date – and he’d ignored it. He actually wanted to spend more time with me. Possibly out in public.
Taking pity on me, Belinda steps over to me and gives Grant a wave. “Hi. I’m Belinda. We talked yesterday on the phone.”
Turning his mega-watt smile on her, Grant extends his hand. Belinda pauses for a second, eyeing the hand like it’s made of gold before taking it.
“Nice to meet you Belinda. Thanks so much for your help yesterday. This one here is hard to get in touch with.”
“Yeah, she’s stubborn. But I think you should know that she has weekends off so don’t take no for an answer. She definitely needs to get out more.”
I’m going to kill her. Straight up break into her apartment at night and smother her. How dare she call me stubborn. I am spontaneous and daring. Maybe a little cautious when it comes to men but that just comes with the territory of being a single woman in the city, raising an impressionable teenage sister.
Shit. Am I just making excuses because I’m scared?
While all this nonsense is going on in my head, Grant is watching me with a slight tilt to his head and a smile on his lips. It would be infuriating if it wasn’t so damn hot. At this angle I can see his eyes a little better.
“While we wait for Lexi to get her thoughts together, can I get you anything? Coffee? A donut?” Belinda asks, still laughing at me.
“I’m good thanks. I’m enjoying the shade of red she’s turning.”
That was it.Thatgot me out of my head and back into reality.
“Seriously, what are you doing here?”
The bell on the front door jingles and a group of school kids enter in a burst of laughs and loud voices. Grant doesn’t turn around, but he does pull down his hat a little more. I watch as his armor goes on – metaphorically of course. His shoulders hunch inward and he angles his body away from the approaching crowd, so no one could get a good look at him. I didn’t like seeing it. Him hiding in plain sight.
My head turns to Belinda and I make a motion towards the front patio. She nods, understanding my intention and pushing a plate of something in my direction. I don’t look, I just move. Rounding the counter, I reach for Grant’s hand and lead him out the front door. Bake, Rattle & Roll has a cute patio area just to the left of the shop. All three tables are empty. The area isn’t being used today since it’s almost noon and the sun is scorching.
Picking the farthest table from the sidewalk that’s almost hidden with a decorative pot of flowers, I gesture to Grant to sit close to the plant. It’s only when we’re sitting, and I slide the plate Belinda blindly handed me, to the middle of the table that I look down. A laugh bubbles up.
