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Relief flooded over me. No sign of the sticky mess or the condoms. I owed Coop a huge kiss and a hug. As it was, I made him a strawberry shake and delivered it before I took his order.
“On me,” I told him.
“Nah,” Archie said. “I insist.”
He’d already insisted on covering the cleaning. “Yes, but I control the check, so you don’t get to.” I stuck my tongue out at him, and he laughed.
“Well, I’m starving, so I’ll take the Big and Thick, since you already brought me the thick.” He winked before taking a drink from his straw.
“Smartass,” I teased, then looked at Archie. “You want anything else?”
“Grab me a Coke?” Leaning forward on his elbows, he said, “I’m probably going to be here a while.”
“Me, too,” Coop said as he passed me my keys and then started opening his backpack.
“You got it.” I pocketed the keys, then grabbed Archie’s finished plate. “Thanks for taking care of her for me, Coop.”
“Anytime,” he said, the corners of his mouth curving. “You know that.”
Funnily enough, I kind of did. It was Coop. He never minded helping me out, even when I didn’t want to ask. I owed him.
Thirty minutes later, Rachel arrived and grabbed a spot at the end of the counter. “Hey,” I greeted her. I hadn’t really seen her that day.
“Hey,” she said, giving me a narrow-eyed study. “You have your chin up and you can still smile, good.”
I’d almost managed to stop thinking about my car for five minutes until she said that. “Girl’s gotta eat,” I tried to keep it light.
“Yes, she does. And I’m starving, so the usual for me, and if you have time, I have more poetry homework.” The hopeful look in her eyes made me laugh.
“I’m starting to think the only reason you’re talking to me is for help with your homework.”
“We can fix that,” Rachel suggested. “Pick a night, and we can grab a movie or something.”
The offer was so smooth, I blinked. “Really?”
“Why not? You’re pretty smart. I imagine you have to have at least semi-decent taste, and while I truly appreciate the homework help, it’s not the only reason I’m talking to you.”
Well, now I felt like an ass. “Sorry, I guess that did come out kind of bitchy.”
“Not even a little,” Rachel said easily. “You’re always busy, but you have my number right?”
“Actually… I don’t know if I do.”
She held out her phone. “Put yours in, and I’ll text you, then you’ll have mine. And don’t worry about when you’re free, just pick a day. We’ll make it happen.”
The offer shouldn’t have thrown me, but it kind of did. “Thanks.” I plugged in my number and added my name to the contact, then hit save before I passed it back to her. “I’ll get your order in.”
“Cool,” Rachel answered. “There, sent you a text.”
Then the number of people coming in began to pick up, so I only got to talk to Rachel a handful of times. Once to deliver her shake, then her food, and once more to answer her question on the poetry assessment she was writing. The funny thing was, she seemed to have a good handle on it. I wasn’t sure if it was lack of confidence or what that had her asking for help.
Ian and Jake arrived during the chaos as a good half of the football team, their girlfriends, and more poured in the door. The volume climbed, and I was on the move. I barely had time to think, which was probably a good thing because I couldn’t focus on Sharon and Maria taking over a table on my side, or that they were brittle and polite when I came to get their order.
However, the fact that I had four gazes laser focused in my direction while I spoke to them was a little unnerving. “Surprised you made it in today,” Sharon said. “Then again, nothing really slows you down, does it?” She winced and snapped a look at Maria, who just glared at her. “Fine.” The last huffed word was not directed at me.
“Thanks, Frankie,” Maria said with a faint, if genuine smile.
“You know, at least she has stock in condoms, that should keep them busy for a week,” Patty said as I walked away from the table. Sharon laughed, but Maria groaned.
