Chapter Seven
LILY
Ireally should have taken the time to dig my car out of the snow. It’s really way too cold to be walking. Even just a couple of blocks. But that would have meant not having time to check in on Mr. Davis. Who thought I was crazy for doing so anyway. I just couldn’t help it. Worried I might have left him feeling abandoned last night.
On the upside, since he shooed me out as soon as I got there, I now have time to stop in at Parker’s Place. I could use a good cup of coffee.
But when I come to the cutsie cafe on the corner, it’s all locked up.
Oh, right.
Parker and Blake’s baby is due in just a couple of weeks. She must have decided to start her maternity leave early. I wouldn’t be surprised if Blake insisted on it.
How nice would that be? To have a man dote on me as much as Blake dotes on Parker?
As I continue down Main Street, toward the bank where I work on the opposite end, I wonder if Apollo would be like that. Probably not. He’s probably too used to being doted on.
I could be wrong. He’s certainly arrogant but I don’t know about selfish. He was really sweet last night giving me that hug. The way he flirts is nice. And he didn’t act like he expected anything from me.
Doesn’t matter. I’m not getting involved.
I hate that I keep having to remind myself of that. If I was anyone else, I’d jump in the deep end and not care if he pulled me under to drown in my need for him.
“It’s bullshit. He’s here. I know it.” A deep voice carries across Main street and draws my eye and ear.
Outside the door to the stairs that lead up to Apollo’s apartment are half a dozen or so people milling around and one very irate-looking guy in glasses and a matching hat and scarf shouting curses at his phone.
“Fine. Leave,” he bellows at the others. “I’ll get the story and you all will look like fools for following a bullshit tip.”
Those must be the paparazzi or reporters or whatever looking for Apollo.
When those that were about to leave start mumbling to each other, a small smirk twitches my lip knowing that, even if they stay, they won’t find him. That little twerp with the deep voice is barking up the wrong stairs.
But then he scares my smirk away when he looks up from his phone and locks his eyes on me.
Thinking fast, I give him my best small-town wave. If anyone knows anything about small towns it’s that the people are inherently nosey and prone to wave when they’ve been caught snooping. So, I lean into that stereotype and hope he doesn’t think any more of it.
With an uneasy, she’s-a-weirdo snarly grin, he reluctantly raises his hand and waves back before burying his nose in his phone again.
I think I’m in the clear. But I move on with a little more pep in my step just in case.
It still takes too long to get to the end of the block and into the bank. My mind wanders again. What happens if the reporters decide Apollo’s gone and they all leave? For one, Apollo won’t have to stay at my place anymore. But if they don’t leave, he may decide he’s being a burden on me and leave early.
My phone buzzes as I enter the bank lobby. I stop to check it before going in.
Blue: So… How did it go with A last night? *winky face*
Of course, that’s where Blue goes with it. But I mean… She’s not entirely off-base. I could have gone there last night. At least, I think Apollo would have gone there with me. Regardless, she doesn’t need to know.
Me: He’s settling in. Not sure what he’s going to do all day though.
He could watch TV. But only local channels. I have a butt-load of books. All romance but he seems like the kind of guy that could be into that. Gives me a bit of the warm-fuzzies thinking he might be. He certainly looks the part of a book boyfriend. How amazing would it be if he knew how to act the part too? After all, he’s an actor…
Blue: I’ll force Oliver to give me some alone time with Mason. Send him over to check in on A.
I’ve seen so little of my new nephew, Mason. At some point, I need to take a vacation and spoil him rotten but I don’t want to add to the chaos if they’re struggling to make things work in that little apartment over Oliver’s bar.
Me: Are the walls closing in? Living on top of each other, you’re bound to need some space sometimes.
