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The brunette arches a brow. “FYI,I’mthe stabby bitch, and you’restillin my way.”
An image of blondie making that exact same face flashes behind my eyelids. I shake my head, attempting to clear it. “Sorry,” I say, sidestepping for the brunette. I can’t help but take one more look around.It’s like she was never here at all.
Checking my watch again, I still have ten minutes to get to work, and it’s only around the block. So I reluctantly turn around and trail the stabby caffeinista inside. I shove my hands in my pockets as I wait behind her in line—I need a coffee more now than ever.
I haven’t quite wrapped my head around it all by the time it’s my turn when the server gives me a broad smile, like she didn’t just see whatever the hell that all was. “Who’s the blonde that just attacked me?” I ask.
The server’s brows dip in an unimpressed frown. “I’ve got customers, sweet cheeks. I don’t have time to gossip. So, what’ll it be?”
I narrow my eyes but place my order. “Triple shot venti,” I say, with perhaps a little too much attitude.
Her forehead wrinkles, and she leans toward me a fraction. “Are you sassin’ me, boy?”
Shit.I know better than to piss off my caffeine dealer, so I hold my hands up in a placating and hopefully remorseful way. “I would never—” My eyes flash to the name badge pinned on her shirt.“—Miss Perky. I’m sorry. Can I have a triple shot venti, please. Oh, and a cheese danish.”
She smiles warmly again, then rings me up and hands off my coffee order to the barista before picking up some tongs to retrieve my danish.
Clearing my throat, I try again. “So, that chick… Who is she? And does she normally accost your customers?”
A blank look falls over Perky’s face as she shakes her head. “What chick? I didn’t see nothin’.”
My jaw drops.
She shrugs, a sly smile peeking out as she hands over a little paper bag holding my breakfast a moment before the barista slides my coffee across the counter toward me. “Honey, I don’t know you from Adam, but I’ve known that girl her whole life. You have a good day now,” Perky says, shooing me away with a dismissive flick of her wrist.
I take her not-so-subtle hint and head out, pausing as I step onto the sidewalk to take one last look around as I tug my coat tighter to seal in the warmth. How did she disappear so quickly?
With a sigh, I hoist my bag higher on my shoulder and start the walk around the block to the community center.
ChapterFour
“Oh,my god! Did he follow me?” I ask Ariel, too afraid to peek out the window to check for myself.
After I realized what an epic clusterfuck of a mistake I’d made in Perky’s, I sprinted out to Ariel’s truck and dive-bombed onto the floor of the back seat.
I haven’t been brave enough to move since.
Snow didn’t even ask what had happened before she got out of the car—I’m assuming to finish the coffee run in my stead—but Ariel is still staring down at me, her face expressionless.
“What?” I snap.
“Do I even want to know?”
I shake my head. “Nah, it’s no biggie.”
“And that’s why you’re curled into the fetal position on the floor right now?”
I nod. “Yeah, saw a hot guy and freaked out. You know me,” I say with a weak chuckle.
She slow blinks. “I—” She stops and narrows her eyes on me. “Kidagakash,” she says slowly. “What did you do?”
“Pfft, I already told you, nothing. No need to full name me, geez.”
Ariel continues to stare me down.
“Ugh, fine!” I throw my hands in the air, just a little. I can’t risk my hands being seen through the windows. “I-kinda-sorta-arrested-the-wrong-guy.”
Her head tilts, making her long, wavy black hair fall over her shoulder. She blinks again. “I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught that. I thought you said youarrestedsomeone. But that can’t be right because you’re not supposed to be going after your skipper unless you’re with Val. And I don’t see Val around here.”
