Totally nonchalant.
Totally normal.
He stirs milk into the coffee and then picks up the mug, holding it out to me. His fingers lightly brush mine in the handoff.
“Thank you.” I pull the mug to my lips and blow on the steam wafting up from the top. He watches my lips intently and then takes a tentative sip from his own mug, the air between us charged.
“Morning, Liv.” Mae slides up to the counter and greets me with a warm smile. Her shrewd gaze sweeps between her son and me.
“Morning, Mrs. Huffman!” My voice is too chipper—and entirely too high-pitched to be natural.Thanks a lot, guilty conscience.My back is ramrod straight, shoulders tense. In my periphery, Luke’s expression is a mix of confused and amused, obviously clocking my nerves.
I’m an embarrassment to successful vacation flings everywhere.
“I hope you’re enjoying your stay. Is your room comfortable?”
“Oh my gosh, yes. I feel like I haven’t slept this well in… I don’t know, forever maybe? My room is beautiful. Everything is great. Thank you so much.” I’m gushing. I can hear it in my voice, and I hate that for me. Surely, I can thank someone for their excellent service without sounding like I made out with and dry-humped their son the night before on that couch right there.
“I’m glad you’re giving Sunny a chance to be out and about. I noticed he has a nice new cat bed out front.” She tilts her bright yellow glasses down on her nose and looks up at Luke.
“If he’s going to lounge around here, he needs a proper place to do it,” Luke says.
“Mmhmm.” She looks at her son, laughter in her eyes. “My boy here has an affection for—” Her gaze finds me, lingering a moment longer than comfortable, then looks to Sunny, who’s over by Gertie and Frank. “—animals. He loved our Percy dearly.”
Well, I have an affection for your son.
“Sunny is thrilled.” I sip my coffee, feeling all kinds of awkward.
Your son is an excellent kisser.An appreciative hum vibrates in my throat as the liquid slides down, and Luke clears his throat. My eyes reach his, but he looks away quickly.
“I can’t tell you how great it is to have this little taste of home every morning.” I avert my gaze and settle on Mae.
Mae nods thoughtfully in the same all-knowing way my Pop does when he’s about to provide a profound thought. Whatever she is thinking, though, she never expresses it. Instead, Mae pipes up, eyes widening.
“Oh, Luke! Tonight is trivia night over at Joanie’s, isn’t it?” She snaps her fingers and swings her gaze back to me. “Liv, you and Viv should go. Luke and Josh go every month. You boys have a good time, don’t you?”
Luke rocks back on his heels, Mae’s sudden revelation catching us both off guard.
“We’re already going!” I look around for my best friend but don’t spot her. Bringing my coffee to my lips once more, my eyes catch on Luke, who’s studying my mouth like he’s committing it to memory.
“You should be on a team together!” Mae swats at her son’s arm, disrupting his focus.
“Sure. You can be on our team.” Luke raises his eyebrows. “Play along”is written all over his face. I assume Josh told him last night we were planning to team up. “But Joanie’s team wins every time. I think it’s rigged.”
Mae laughs at that then looks between us again briefly before nodding and smiling.
“Well, that should be great fun. You all have a good time then.” And she throws her towel over her shoulder and excuses herself through the door. Luke turns so his body is leaning against the counter. A picture of ease.
I try my best to mirror his stance. If he can do it, so can I.
I scan the room, finding Viv in the corner whispering with Josh. As Josh talks, Viv’s expression morphs from surprised to curious, and then a slow smile spreads across her face, her eyes finally meeting mine.
That didn’t take long.
Josh lifts his hand and waves at us. We simultaneously wave back, then watch as Josh exits through the patio doors. Viv stalks in our direction.
“Morning, Luke. Did you sleep well last night?” Viv asks. Setting her coffee cup down on the counter and pouring more, she looks up at him and smiles sweetly.
“I did, Viv. Thanks for asking. How about you?”
