Page 56 of Check You Out

“Friends sounds more appropriate,” Aidan remarks. A corner of his mouth curves upward and a dimple pops.

We reach the steps of Triple C and climb the bright blue treads. There’s already a line snaking out the door.

I spin to face Aidan and jerk my thumb to the crowd behind me. “I forgot today is opening day of the Farmers’ Market. You ok with this? We can always go to Little Bennett’s if you’d like. I could get Georgie give us in a corner booth.”

He nods and flashes a weak smile. “I’m fine.”

We step in line behind a young couple. I loop my arm through his elbow and watch Aidan’s face to see if he flinches or stiffens. He doesn’t. If anything, he leans in a little closer to me.

“How was your week?”

He presses his lips together and lets out a sigh. “I survived. Sorry I was too busy for the committee meeting. How was your week?”

“It’s ok. We missed you,” I reply. When he doesn’t say anything, I start talking to fill the silence. “New books came out. Including some really good ones. You’ll have to come by and see them. Also, this super adorable older couple came in yesterday. They bought each other books. And then I met the cutest dog on Wednesday. No idea what kind of breed, but he had one ear bent and he had so many tippy taps.” I pull out my phone and show him a picture. He coos over the photos.

I tell him more about some of stories from the week. He laughs when I tell him how Harold, our bookstore ghost, threw books at several customers this week.

Aidan listens to me yap with a thoughtful expression on his face, nodding along with me, but he doesn’t say much in response. Anxiety begins to bubble in my stomach.

“Is it ok that I talk so much?” I ask.

His replies with a wide smile. His dimples pop, and my stomach does a little flippy thing. “I like hearing you talk,” he says in a lowered voice that sounds richer and deeper than before.

The line moves forward, and we step closer to the door of the café.

I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, trying to keep cool. “When did you see Gott?”

His dimple vanishes as his mouth turns down. “At a parent-teacher conference. He’s just as annoying as his fiancée and his future stepson.” He closes his eyes and tips his head back. “That kid cheated on his paper, and the shitty adults in his life defended him.”

I squeeze his bicep. “I’m sorry. That sounds awful. Did he do the ‘Gott bless you’ thing?”

He opens his eyes and gawks at me. “He did! And he gaslit me when I called him out.”

The line advances again, and we step inside the café. I spot Nicole standing at the register. She nods at me, and I flash her a little wave.

“You mentioned the county office renovations in your email. What was that about?” I ask, craning my neck to see Aidan better.

“I don’t know. I just got a feeling. I remember hearing that they were redone a few years ago, so it seemed weird.” He shakes his head, causing a lock of his nutty brown hair to fall over his face. He pushes it back with his free hand, and my stomach does the flippy thing again. “Did they look like there was asbestos in the carpet?”

I shake my head. “Definitely not. They were actually really nice.”

The line moves quickly as a large group finishes their order, and suddenly we’re at the front. Nicole shoves two hot drinks and a paper bag at us. “Saw you and put in your regulars, and I threw in a couple of goat cheese, pancetta, and chive scones.” She mimes a phone with her hand and mouths, “Call me later,” before she greets the people behind us.

There are no free tables in Triple C, so we make our way to an empty bench near town square. Families and young couples drift about the square, going from stall to stall at the Farmers’ Market. Somewhere in the square a vendor has set up a food truck, and my mouth waters at the smell of whatever meat they’re roasting.

Two dimples flash on Aidan’s face as he takes a sip from his drink. “I’ve decided to meet with my father tomorrow.”

I’m mid-sip on my London Fog and somehow manage to not choke on the precious concoction of Earl Gray tea and vanilla. “Wait, really?”

“I thought about what you said, and despite me hating the idea, maybe you’re right.”

My mouth parts. “I’m sorry I—”

He holds up a hand. “Don’t apologize.”

“Well, I could’ve at least brought it up better or waited until you asked me what I thought.” I take a breath. “Sometimes I act without thinking.” I bring my gaze to meet his eyes.

He shrugs. “Sometimes I think without acting.”