“Stop. Sleuthing.” He hung up.
I set my phone down. “Good morning,” I said with a forced smile while looking up at Duncan. My mind was racing a million miles an hour. I didn’t have time for this.
“Good morning! I’m sorry you’ve been waiting.” He removed his hand from behind his back and produced a bouquet of roses. “For you.”
“W-What? Oh—Duncan, this wasn’t necessary.” Now the guilt was coming on hard. I hesitantly accepted the flowers.
“Don’t be silly,” he replied, removing his coat and taking a seat across from me. “It’s the least I can do.”
Least you can do?“Thank you,” I said slowly.
“So is that… other guy watching your shop today?”
“Other….Max?”
Duncan shrugged. “I guess.”
“No. We usually aren’t open on Mondays.”
“That’s good.”
“Why?”
He grabbed his menu, staring hard at the breakfast options. “He just gets to be around you all day.”
“How unfortunate for him.”
A waiter came over and poured us each a mug of coffee before taking orders. Morning sex left me famished, and I was even hungrier after my meeting at the library. I ordered waffles with a side of bacon and briefly wondered what Calvin would have ordered. After seeing how he could put pizza away when denied a meal, I’d imagine he could have easily eaten two of the waffle specials. Duncan asked for eggs and toast, and the waiter left.
“So,” I said. “What do you do? Are you—you’re not still in school, are you?”
He grinned. “No. I’m notthatyoung.”
“Oh?”
“I’m twenty-four.”
I laughed quietly and sipped my coffee. “I don’t remember being twenty-four.”
“How old are you? Twenty-eight?”
“Flattering.”
“Thirty?”
I jutted my thumb up in the air to indicate higher.
Duncan made a face. “You are not.”
“I’m thirty-three,” I said with a smile. “A nice boring age. I’m in bed by ten.”
“You’re not boring!” Duncan insisted. “I think you’re very interesting.”
I bit my tongue as I tried to delicately navigate these dark waters without insulting the guy. “Well, you don’t really know me.”
“I know enough.”
“You do?”
