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“Well, good for you. By my calculation, you sure work fast. It’s been about two weeks since you met.”
“Not true. I used to pull Joy’s hair and trip her up when we were in elementary school. A bit like you are doing now but without the hair-pulling and tripping. What can I say, when you know… you know. Today might just be the day an unforgettable woman crosses your path, and your inner caveman raises his head and takes notice. You drag that big stone club out and will protect and love her with all your soul.”
I silently scoff, like that is ever going to happen to me. “Anyway, I just need to put an order in for two ‘Christmas Cheers’ to-go, and I’m looking forward to catching up with you and the ladies later on tonight. Should be a good night had by all.”
Levi slaps the counter with his hand before walking backward sideways. “I’ll start on your order.”
Keanu comes over, nodding his head in agreeance. “Amen. Preach. I was about the same. The heart gets the memo before the brain does. It just knows.” The two guys high-five as they swap places. “We will be there tonight in our penguin suits with our angelic voices and guitars. The ladies are primping thisarvo”—Keanu makes quotation marks in the air, pointedly looking at Hamlet beside me who is pretending she isn’t eavesdropping—“and not that they need to put in any work to look beautiful, but you know how women are. Hope is a special guest.” Keanu has pride written all over his face.
Hope, his girlfriend, inspires the charity event we are attending tonight in more ways than one. But that is a story for another day.
Hamlet clears her throat while straightening her back, which is my cue to get back in line and admire the bubble butt.
I jam my hands into my jeans’ front pockets because I seem to get drawn into antagonizing this woman. I can’t trust myself not to tug on her ponytail in front of all these eyewitnesses like a ten-year-old boy in the playground who wants the girl to pay attention to him. Instead, I murmur by her exposed ear, “Hamlet, are you still snooty with me? Ididforewarn you not to roll your eyes at me.”
She flicks her hand out without turning around like I’m a bug that’s irritating her.
I chuckle.
She huffs to herself.
Levi laughs. “You two should go on a date.”
Keanu is not shy about speaking his opinion. “This is one of thebestmeet-cutes, much better than mine.”
“Keanu, yours was a disaster,” Levi calls out.
“True, but I still got a happily-ever-after.”
I tap Hamlet on the shoulder.
Zap!
“How about it, Hamlet? Did you feel that? It’s a sign if I ever felt one.”
“Would you stop zapping me!” she growls over her shoulder.
There’s that spitfire.
I look down at myself. Yup, I’m still a thirty-year-old man trying to contain a hard-on in public like a pubescent teenager. I discreetly adjust my crotch. I’m glad her back is still facing me.
“Hamlet, I’m game for a date if you are? I know I’ve got your attention, and you’ve sure got mine, so why not see where this could lead?” I am half-joking because I am nothing more than a one-night stand guy.
There’s an awkward silence where I’m unsure if she decides whether to tell me “yes” or blow me off.
“Keanu, I am ready for my order, thank you,” the spitfire pipes up, deliberately leaving me hanging.
“Here you go, O—”
“Hamlet!” the pocket rocket shouts over Keanu.
“Oh…” Keanu taps his head twice. “Nearly forgot your name.”
“No problems, you are calling names out all day. Easy to mess up.”
Keanu places the coffee and a small brown paper bag in front of her with two fifties stapled outside. “We added a bonus blueberry muffin for you.” He’s drawn a big smiley face on the front of the pack. “Sorry for the delay, Hamlet—” he dramatically exaggerates a wink like a Mr. Bean GIF.“—I enjoyed watching your meet-cute play out while there were only two of you at the counter.”
“I gathered,” she deadpans, shaking her head, but she can’t stop the smile from leaking out the corners of her mouth. “Thank you for the bonus muffin.”
