Page 16 of Snow Globe Secrets

He pretended to lock his lips and throw away the key. Adorable.

“Wow, that’s amazing. Pediatrics.”

“And you're in computer science?” I asked cautiously, trying to remember how my dad had corrected me when I’d asked about his friend the banker. I hadn’t really been listening when Dad had explained about companies merging and needing loans from Mom’s bank, instead assuming that Randall was in finance, like my mom.

He nodded and started to tell me about his company in England and how partnering with the famous New Day Technologies had brought him back to the US.

We continued chatting, and Randall became more and more at ease. When he next filled our glasses, I rose with my dish and put a hand on Randall’s shoulder when he tried to rise with me. “I’ve got this,” I assured him as I cleared the table in one trip. “You go relax, and I’ll get these in the dishwasher.”

“Impressive,” he complimented, his eagle eye following me as I cleared up around him. “My ex always used to say the caliber of the restaurant is partially in the food but partially in the service as well, and he always measured good service on whether or not the table was cleared in one go.”

“Living near the beach, if you wanted a job as a teen, it was either lifeguard or wait tables, and my parents own a restaurant, so … Money’s better waiting tables anyway.”

Randall rose, wine glass in hand, and was walking to the living room as he mumbled, “Pity. I bet you’d look lovely up on one of those chairs.”

I almost dropped the stack of dinnerware then and there.

Dad’s best friend, I repeated on a loop as I rinsed the dishes and fed them to the dishwasher.

When I turned the water off, Randall leaned over the back of the couch. A gust of wind rattled the cabin, and the lights flickered for a second. We watched each other for a beat, waiting for it to happen again. When it didn't, Randall spoke. “How about a movie? Maybe some popcorn? May be our last chance before the power goes out.”

“Sounds good.”

“There’s microwave popcorn in the cabinet just above your head. What are you in the mood for?”

Randall stood and turned to face me, the glow of the fireplace dancing behind him.

What had we been talking about? What had he asked me? I stood stupidly, hand on a cabinet knob, eyes locked with his. What was I in the mood for?

“Action? Superheroes? Sci-fi?” He paused, and my brain tried to process his words. “A rom-com?”

Right! Movies. We’d been talking about movies! I was in the mood for … a movie.

“Your choice. I’m easy.” I shrugged and smiled. Randall’s eyes flashed wide at my comment before he quickly reset his features. “Fine, okay. Superheroes it is, then!” I started opening cabinets, knowing that he’d told me which one, but for the life of me, I was too distracted to remember.

“I know every gay man with a pulse is hot for Thor,” I babbled, “but I’ll take the snark of Robert Downey Jr. any day.” I remained very focused on opening and skimming every cabinet.

Randall shut off the music, and I looked over my shoulder to find him staring at me in amusement. “In that one, sweetheart.” He pointed, and ungh, that accent. “The green box,” he added, his eyes slightly glassy and dancing. “With the images of popcorn all over it.” He’d said words. British-sounding words that had included the word sweetheart.

“Green. Got it!”

Chapter Eight

Randall

I knew I’d had one too many to drink; why else would the word “sweetheart” have slipped out of my mouth? Austin was a ball of distracted energy, opening and slamming shut all the cabinets in search of the popcorn even though I had specifically told him where he could find it.

“Got it!’ he exclaimed before tearing open the plastic packaging and tossing the bag in the microwave.

My phone chimed.

“That’s the washer, sweetheart.” I figured it was best to play off my use of endearments as a British quirk, something I did with everybody.

Austin stared at me, the popcorn popping behind him.

“Oh, my clothes! I’ll be right back.” He practically sprinted to the laundry room.

I queued up a perfectly mindless action-packed feature, which, to Austin’s point, would provide us with plenty of eye candy, then I made my way back to the kitchen, where I found the large bowl designed to look like a movie theater popcorn bucket. The previous owners had left it behind.