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I lift my gaze and meet Snow’s. An amused smirk curves her mouth, and I figure I may as well roll with it. Shrugging, I flip the book back over, showing her the cover. “You read this one? Seems interesting. I have questions about the mechanics though…”
“You’ll have to read it and find out for yourself. I’m not one to give away spoilers.”
“Maybe I will, but not today. I’m in more of a purple alien kinda mood, but they don’t seem to have any of those left.” I return the book to the table then slide my hands into my pockets. “So, Kida’s not doing the Monday coffee run this week?” I ask as casually as I can manage.
“What’s it to you?” she shoots back, eyes laser focused on me.
My fingers flex in my pockets. “Just wondering. I thought after last week, maybe Mondays were her day.”
Snow arches a brow. “Looking for a repeat?”
I scoff. “No. Being taken down by a chick in a crowded coffee shop is not my idea of a good time, no matter how cute she is.”
“You think Keeds is cute?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m not blind.” The line moves along, leaving only one person ahead of me. Time to go for it. “You think she’d be willing to get a coffee with me sometime?”
Snow’s lips curl a moment before she shrugs. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.”
“And where would I find her to ask?”
“You seem like a smart guy, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.”
Perky’s voice prevents me from responding. “You orderin’, honey, or you havin’ a good ol’ chat?”
I give her my full attention. “Sorry to hold you up, Miss Perky.”
She smiles at me then asks, “Triple shot venti?”
“Please, and a cheese danish.” I’ve only been here a week and they already know my order. A sense of belonging unfurls inside me. I’m really liking this small town living thing. Sure, some of the locals are a bit… different, but not in a bad way.
After paying and accepting my danish, I step to the side and wait for my coffee while Snow places her order. She comes to stand by me when she’s done, and I can feel her giving me the side-eye. I turn my face to look right back at her, hoping my disarming smile will soften her. It doesn’t. Her gaze narrows, and I get the distinct impression I never want to be on this woman’s bad side.
“If you lead her on, or hurt her in any way, I will castrate you with a rusty spork,” she says, smiling serenely.
I choke on air. “A spork?”
Her smile drops. “Yes, Arlo, a spork. And trust me when I say I won’t be the only one in this town after your balls. So, best be sure you really want to pursue her before you make your move.”
“Triple shot Venti for Arlo,” the barista Dion calls.
I swipe my drink off the counter and speed walk out of there and away from any more talk of my gonads being on the chopping block.
I’m still a little flustered by the time I make it to the community center, and flop down in the chair in my cubical. Pulling the danish out of its paper bag, I tear off a chunk with my teeth.How would I even know if I want to go after Kida when I haven’t had a chance to get to know her yet? Would asking her out for coffee be considered leading her on if it turns out I’m not as into her as I think?
“Morning,” Carter drawls as he strolls in.
I grunt, too in my own head to give a verbal response.
“What’s got you all wound up?” he asks, coming to lean on the wall of my cubby. “Your ripping into that danish like it’s offended you somehow.”
“How into Chance were you before you started dating her?”
His brows lift. “What?”
Licking the crumbs off my fingers, I turn to him and explain my dilemma. “So, you see, if I want to keep my nuts—which I do, obviously—I need to be super sure about Kida before I go for it.”
Carter rubs the back of his neck. “I don’t know, man. Me and Chance, our situation was different. I only had to worry about her brother and Kass, and I could have easily taken them both. Especially back then, I was a bit fucked up.”
