Julie forced a tight-lipped smile. “Sure thing.” She swiftly filled a glass of water but before she let me walk away with it, she plucked one of theapple-shaped cake pops from the pastry case. “Here, score yourself some bonus points. He’s got a massive sweet tooth.”
Could this man be any more adorable? “Thanks, Julie.”
I returned to the table, setting the glass in front of Eli. He muttered a quiet thanks, but his red-rimmed eyes lit up when I handed him the treat. He slid aside the remnants of his croissant. “That’s for me?”
I nodded. “Thought you could use a bit of a lift. Just make sure you brush your teeth before you go to bed so you don’t get cavities.” I winked at him.
His cheeks tinged pink again, and he refocused his attention on peeling the red fondant off the cake pop. “I’m a doctor, not a dentist.”
I tilted my head, feigning ignorance. “Aren’t they doctors too?”
“Okay, now you’re just trying to piss me off.” A stray curl fell in his face, and I fought the urge to stretch across the table and tuck it behind his ear.
“But I got you to smile,” I said, shrugging. When he laughed, a dimple popped in his left cheek. Damn, he was cute. “That’s a win in my book.”
Eli finished off the last of his cake pop and tossed the stick onto his plate. “Thank you for all of this,” he said. “I should probably get home. I have a thing later, and I’d like to at least think about sleep before then.”
It shouldn’t have, but the thought of him walking out the door made my heart sink into my stomach. I wanted to wrap him in my arms and protect him from the dangers of the world, but he wasn’t mine to keep. “Where’shome? Do you need a ride?”
Eli straightened and stretched. I took advantage of the moment to rake my eyes over his body, taking in the lean muscles under his shirt and the long legs that I’d kill to have wrapped around my—
“On that death machine with wheels? No thanks. We call them ‘donorcyles’ for a reason.” His lips quirked again, and I lost myself in his dimple. “I can walk. I live in Evergreen Grove. Why are you looking at me like that?”
“BecauseIlive in Evergreen Grove.” I finally picked up my coffee, which had become more lukewarm than hot, but I didn’t want to waste it. After taking a sip, I added, It’s the—”
“Brown house on the end,” Eli finished for me, realization dawning on his cute features. “I thought you looked familiar.” Then he paled. “Fuck, he’d been cheating on me right under my nose and I had no idea.”
I opened my mouth to apologize again, but I knew by now that it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. I changed it into a lighthearted, “I guess I’ll see you around the neighborhood.”
Eli winced, and I could practically read the panic in his features. “I—”
“It’s okay.” I waved him off. “I get it: Smile and wave.”
He gave me a tight-lipped smile. “Thank you, Zach.” And with nothing more than the sound of my name falling from his lips, he was out the door.
I sighed, sipping at my less-than-satisfying drink. I stared at Eli’s empty seat until I realized the shop had gone quiet… and sensed that someone was watching me. My attention slid to the counter where Julie stood, arms crossed over her chest and a knowing look on her face.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I said.
“I didn’t say a word!”
“You don’t have to.”
Thankfully, she changed the subject. “Are you still meeting Sadie later today? She’s really excited about this shoot.”
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I’m still doing the ultra-romantic photo shoot you puppy-eyed me into applying for.” Julie’s smile widened. “You’re lucky you make the best damn coffee I’ve ever had.” I still couldn’t believe I got picked for the thing.
“Aw, and here I was thinking you thought I was cute.” A shrill sound echoed through the shop—the buzzer for the back door. Likely just Andrew dropping off more pastries. Julie untied her apron and set it on the counter. “I should get that. Don’t go falling for the heartbroken boy next door!”
She disappeared into the back of the shop, and I returned my attention to Eli’s empty seat. “Too late.”
CHAPTER 03: ELI
“Remind me why I agreed to this?” I complained.
Nearly every shirt I owned was laid across my bed—plus a few of Nate’s on the floor. I’d burn them later. Or maybe pour bleach on them. Or pour bleach on them,thenburn them.
“Because you love me,” Cherry shot back over the phone, “and I absolutelyneedthese pictures to turn out.”
