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Luna’s smile widens at my ramblings, which is just unfair. She looks amazing this morning. Not that she’s all dressed up like at the party. In fact, she has an outfit from the opposite end of the spectrum on. Athletic shorts that show off a set of muscular legs, paired with a loose T-shirt that has a Red Cross blood drive logo half worn away on the front. Her short hair is a finger-combed tangle around her face. Just as my eyes catch on the inky strands, she gathers them up, pulling a hairband from her wrist and fashioning a messy bun on the top of her head. The movement has her breasts pressing against the fabric of her shirt, which is how I’m almost certain she’s not wearing a bra.
The whistle of the teapot cuts off my gawping.
I turn my back on the wonderfully sleep-mussed sight of Dash’s sister and focus on the simple task of coffee.
“You said you’d like a cup?”
“Yeah. If there’s enough to spare.”
“Plenty.” Silence descends as I carefully pour the boiling water into the press, then place the top on. Problem is, now there is a wait time for the coffee to brew.
“Are you and Paige hanging out today?” she asks.
With a deep breath to steady myself, I turn around to meet Luna’s eyes. Only she’s not looking my way, her head in the fridge instead.
“Yeah. Yes. We’re going to get brunch and catch up.” Without thought, I start cracking my knuckles. A nervous habit I thought I got over years ago. Forcibly, I relax my hands and try to keep the hopeful note out of my voice. “You’re welcome to join.”
Luna turns toward me, carrying a yogurt container and a banana. “Thanks, but I can’t. Have some business in town to take care of.”
“Right. Yeah. Of course.”
“How long are you States-side? You live in Germany, right?”
“Uh, yeah. For now.”
“For now? You moving soon?”
I wish. But then I’d need some destination in mind.
“No immediate plans. Just pondering things. But I’ll head back to Germany a few days after the wedding.”
“What’s your job?” Luna settles at the table and opens her yogurt. But all the while her attention rests on me.
“Salesman. Fabric sales. The company sells fabric.” How many more ways can I babble out the same information? Good thing I’m not such a mess when talking to customers. Then I would definitely be moving soon because I’d be out of a job.
“You’re into fashion?”
“We focus on durable materials for outerwear. Not normally what shows up on the runway. And I’m just good at selling things.”
“Do youlikeselling things?” Her piercing stare digs into me, and I find myself spilling out truths I haven’t even admitted to myself.
“I’d like it more if I was selling something I cared about.”
She nods. “Hence, the pondering.”
The timer goes off, giving my hands something to do. I slowly push down on the press, watching the fragrant brown liquid swirl on the other side of the glass. One mug already sits out on the counter, and I fill the thing up, intending to give the cup to Luna and grab another for myself.
Her willingness to help is where everything goes wrong. The moment I turn to find another mug, she’s there offering one, having transported from the table to right behind me. At the sight of her so near, my body jerks as I battle the urge to get closer, stay where I am, or jump away. The miscommunication sends my top half teetering and arms flailing.
Flailing is not recommended when holding a French press.
“Shit!”
Hot coffee hits my chest.
LUNA
Charlie stares at me, mouth agape, eyes wide and pleading, as if he’s begging me to tell him he didn’t just commit a wild blunder.
