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“Yeah, he seems like he needs someone to talk to. I don’t know,” I said with a shrug. “He told me he didn’t mean to make me uncomfortable, and I believe him.”
Kasey gave me a soft smile as she handed me the tea. “You’re a good guy, boss. Let me know if you need anything else.”
I rolled my eyes at her as I placed the tea cup on my tray. Believing Charles didn’t make me a good guy; it just made me a decent human with killer instincts.Duh.
“So!” I said, placing the tray before Charles and taking the seat across from him. “Tell me your story, Charles.”
There it was again. A slight wince at his name that I probably wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t already been watching him so closely. Working at Voice Out had taught me that sometimes our body told people more than our words could, and right now, I got the feeling that his name made him uncomfortable. Was it just a name he wasn’t a fan of, or was there more to it?
Charles scratched his beard as he picked up the tea and took a sip, immediately making a face he tried to hide from me but failed.
“Not a fan of tea, huh?” I chuckled.
He gave me a sheepish grin and shook his head. “Sorry, I probably should’ve said something.”
“It’s all right. Coffee?”
“Nah, I’m good. This looks delicious,” Charles said, gesturing toward the cake slice.
“It is,” I told him with a grin. It wouldn’t be out for sale if it wasn’t the best.
I waited for him to take a bite, and he made a sound of approval as he ate, making me smile. I loved it when people appreciated anything we made at the café. Even though I usually didn’t contribute much to the baking side of things, I loved showering the bakers with compliments, especially those that came straight from the customers. Watching their faces light up at the appreciation always warmed my heart, and I couldn’t wait to tell Honey that his pastry had been well loved today.
Charles looked at me once he’d swallowed the bite, and I gave him an easy, encouraging smile and waited for him to speak. I wondered what his story was. What had made him want to watch me? Want to talk to me? It didn’t seem like he was interested in me, so what was it?
He licked his lips, and I followed the movement for a second before giving myself a shake.No. Don’t go there, Brady. The man is obviously not into you.
“I moved here a week ago, just a couple blocks away. I came in for coffee one day, and I saw you. I wasn’t trying to be creepy or stalk you, I promise. I was just trying to build up the courage to talk to you. I saw you, and I wondered…I wondered if you were like me, and I wanted to ask you, but I wasn’t sure if I should or even if I could. I’m really sorry I made you feel uncomfortable. That was not my intention at all.”
“Please, Charles,” I said, and again, he twitched as if he was in pain. It was definitely because of the name. Could it be that he’d given me a fake and was now regretting it? It wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. I shook the thought away and focused on what he’d told me. “I forgive you. No need to apologize again.” I took a moment to process through the rest of his words before asking, “Can I ask what you mean by wondering if I was like you?” What could possibly be similar between us? Especially something he’d noticed simply by looking at me?
“Uh…” Charles looked around, as if unsure if he could say whatever he wanted to before turning to me. “Well, you wear makeup and your clothes…” He waved a hand at my hot-pink crop top in explanation and took a deep breath, seeming to gather his courage before continuing, “So I wondered if you were…maybe, nonbinary—like—me.” He said the last few words in a rush, but I managed to catch them, and it took me a minute to process.
He looked just about ready to bolt, with his hands gripping the arms of his chair tightly enough to turn his knuckles white. I gave him a small smile to tell him I wasn’t offended or uncomfortable in any way. My smile seemed to be enough to put him at ease, and he released his death grip on the chair, giving me the chance to process his confession. And suddenly, a lot of the little things I’d noticed made sense.
“Can I ask you something?”
He nodded, albeit hesitantly, and I continued, “Were you wondering if I was nonbinary because you’re looking for people in the community or…?” I left the question open-ended because I wasn’t sure exactly what I should add.
He looked down at his plate before looking back up at me, and there was a sad, almost wistful smile on his face. “I moved to this city in an attempt to find myself, in a way. And when I saw you, I thought maybe you could help me with that. I’m sorry. I was being stupid. I realize that now. I’ll get out of your hair, and I promise not to be a creep anymore.”
“No, wait!” I almost shouted as he started to get up. I hadn’t even realized he’d finished his cake. When had he done that?
He gave me a questioning look, and I spoke without thinking. “I think I can help you, if you still want it. But it seems like we have a lot to talk about. Do you think you could maybe drop by after six? I live upstairs, so we could sit down, have dinner and a beer, and you could tell me everything.” I would’ve preferred to talk to him now, since I wasn’t sure if he’d actually show up, but I also had a shit-load of work to do.
He chewed his lip as he stared at me, contemplating my offer. “You really think you can help me?”
“I’m not nonbinary myself, but I do have friends who are. If nothing else, I can put you in contact with them if you want.”
Charles nodded at me, took a deep breath, and let it out before nodding again. “Okay, I’ll come by later.”
“Great. See you later, Charles.”
He waved at me before walking out of the café, and I leaned back in my seat. I grinned as I wondered what Luke would say if I told him I’d invited my stalker to my house. He’d probably flip his lid. Even so, my thoughts went back to Charles. He definitely had a story to tell, that I was sure of. The question was why wasIso interested in it? Was it just because of my experience working at Voice Out, or was there more to it?
Baby-blue eyes flashed through my mind, and I shook my head. Why did he have to be my typeanda total sweetheart?
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