Page 8 of Alfie

“Ah, remember that time you went to watch a movie on your lunch break and found people having sex in the empty theater?” Alice asked.

Alfie and his friends all looked at her in surprise. Myla smiled. “I was so surprised I dropped my lunch and ran out.”

“What happened?” Nathan asked.

“The owner walked in and told them to put their pants back on and get the heck out. Then we steam-cleaned all the seats.”

While conversation flowed around them, Alfie smiled at her. “I haven’t been to a movie theater in a really long time.”

“What’s your favorite kind of movie? Let me guess, action?”

He snorted. “Because I know how to throw a punch?”

“It’s a pretty standard movie genre for guys that look like you.”

His voice went low when he leaned in and asked, “Look like me?”

She inhaled softly and picked up his cologne, which smelled freaking amazing. Like a bonfire in the woods.

“Sexy,” she whispered. “And like you could bench press a truck.”

His chuckle was low and made her belly clench. Damn, he was sexy.

“Well, I do like to take care of myself,” he said. “And I don’t mind a movie with some action scenes, but I really like comedies. Or a good animated one, but only if the parents don’t die. I hate movies that start out like that.”

“I get that,” she said.

“Yours?” he asked.

“I like comedies too, but I really like good old-fashioned family movies. The theater where I work plays old movies on Tuesday afternoons, and they’re so fun to watch. My parents said they’re the movies that used to play in the eighties on Friday nights, the kind you can only find on streaming services now.”

“Sounds like Tuesdays are a lot of fun.”

“Well,” Alice said, as she finished the last fry from her extra-crispy batch, “I’m about to turn into a pumpkin, so we need to scoot.”

She and Milo stood and put their coats on. “We can walk you out, Myla,” her brother said.

Alfie rose to his feet. “I’d be happy to walk you out, Myla.”

She smiled at him and stood. “I’d like that.”

“I’ll be right back,” he said to his friends.

He put his jacket on and walked with her out into the cold night.

“Where did you learn to fight like that?” she asked.

“My dad and grandpa taught me to defend myself when I was a kid. When I was a teenager, I got into boxing for a while. I figure there’s not much use in being strong if you don’t know how to protect the people you care about. Plus, it’s handy knowing how to take someone down without using a weapon in the park.”

She stopped at her car and waved at her brother and Alice.

Then she looked at Alfie.

“I had a really nice time,” she said. “Thanks for rescuing me.”

“I’m glad I could.” He rocked back on his heels. “I’d like to see you again, Myla.”

Her heart pounded. “I’d like that.”