But Beck didn’t smile. Or laugh it off. Instead, he continued to look at me, dead serious. Before responding, though, his eyes dipped to my mouth. That time, I didn’t have to second-guess. Or wonder if I was hallucinating. He didn’t even try to hide it.
His gaze lifting back up, Beck parted his lips. But nothing came out. Instead, he did it as if to… entice. Tease. My pulse raced as I waited for him to say something. Core clenching, I caught myself parting my own lips in response.
“You’re right, of course.”
What had he just said?
No response could have been more of a surprise. It was the first time in our lives Beck had agreed with me or even pretended to have a serious discussion about him or his future. I honestly had no comeback.
“Now let’s go, buttercup. Can’t be late for our own food tent.”
Somehow, I hopped back into the truck. Made conversation with Beck for the rest of the ride, albeit nothing as deep or serious as in front of the printer’s shop.
The way he’d looked at me… really looked at me. Listened. And actually agreed with me? I’d been right earlier. Something was up. And tonight, after the day’s festivities, in the B&B we’d reserved knowing it would be a late night and early morning, I would find out exactly what that was.
18
BECK
By the dinner rush, we were a well-oiled machine. Aside from a little grill fiasco and me nearly torching my eyebrows trying to fix it, everything ran smooth. We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day, and clearly the festival gods were looking down on us. Stationed directly across from a fresh-cut fries stand, after chatting with the owner during setup, we were working together to send customers over and vice versa.
Even better? The company. I couldn’t wipe the smile from my face since this morning’s drive. Mae wasn’t pissed off at me for clocking her ex. And that ex was firmly in the past-tense category.
If you’re not “going there,” why does it matter, anyway?
“Earth to Beck?”
I turned from the grill to focus on Mae.
“Got ’em coming right up,” I said as the customer on the other side of the table watched me.
“Add another burger to that order,” she said.
“On it.”
“And don’t forget?—”
“The jalapenos,” I finished. “Have ’em right here.”
A new customer walked up. Cute redhead in cutoff shorts who ordered two smashburgers with extra cheese. “You come with that?” she called over to me.
Mae waited for my response. Her eyebrows lifted in amusement, but something flickered in her eyes… barely there, but I caught it.
I smiled, kept my eyes on Mae.
“Sorry. Already spoken for.”
Mae snorted. “By who?”
“Depends on who’s asking.”
If my response confused Mae, the redhead was even more bemused but got the hint. I had more let-down lines than a tap on dollar beer night.
Wouldn’t need one if Mae was mine.
A dangerous thought.
Miraculously, as the dinner crowd began to die down, we had a break in customers. Mae wiped the table and made her way over to me.
