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“Thank you,” I answer, still trying to figure him out.
“Been here long?”
“I inherited the place after my father died.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he replies, his eyes studying me.
“That’s okay. It was a long time ago.”
I’m about to ask him if I know him from somewhere when Trent interrupts over the sound of the coffee machine.
“You’re not from around here, are you?”
The handsome stranger’s eyes wander from me to where Trent’s standing. “No, I’m from LA. However, I think I may want to spend more time in a place like this considering the sights,” he says, giving Trent the flirty eye, “are so appealing around here.”
I roll my eyes before gazing back at Trent and dropping my mouth open. Wow, I mouth only for Trent to see.
Trent simply points a finger at the strange man. “He is so getting my number on his coffee cup.”
I turn back in time to see the strange man pointing a finger at his chest. “You should put that on a t-shirt.”
“For that, I’ll give you extra foam.”
Inwardly, I groan at the obvious flirtation. I almost open my mouth to ask if I should leave the room for a moment until I realize I still have no clue who this guy is.
Not being able to hold it in any longer, I ask, “Do I know you from somewhere?”
Just as I ask this, Trent places the takeaway coffee down on the counter, his number scribbled as promised on the side along with a nice little heart underneath. Somehow I have a feeling this guy will keep that number—especially after that little exchange.
The room turns silent a moment, both the strange man and Trent studying me like I’m some kind of science experiment. What is it with people lately?
“In another life, I think you do,” he responds, causing me to frown.
Have I jumped into some different universe lately? Or maybe I never did wake up from my accident and this is what heaven looks like. A familiar place, but with strange beings roaming the lands.
I open my mouth to answer, but I have no words to utter. My brain has turned to mush—my voice robbed of speech.
“What’s your name, handsome?” Trent asks, saving me from this awkwardness.
“Jack,” the man responds, and something pings in my brain at that name, but I have no idea why. “Jack Banks.” He says his surname like it should mean something. I glance to Trent for help and it’s only when he gasps that I realize who he is.
“Jack Banks as in Kendra Banks’s brother?” I ask, my mouth slightly agape. Why on earth would he visit here?
“The one and only,” he responds, causing Trent to bend over the counter, his chin resting against his fist as he gazes dreamingly up at the not-so-stranger anymore.
“No wonder you look like an angel. It must be in the genes.”
Jack takes an appreciative sip of his coffee before pointing at Trent. “Do you have dinner plans tonight?”
“Yes,” Trent replies. “With you.”
Jack laughs out loud. “Okay, meet you at Giuseppe’s Piazza, eight tonight.”
“It’s a date!” Trent shouts, trying to suppress his excitement by not jumping on the counter like I know he wants to.
“Shall I leave?” I ask, pointing to the door with a smile.
“No need,” Jack grins back. He then inhales like he’s just got a whiff of something. “Hey, what’s that smell?”
