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I might have been willing to head home to Mariposa because Archer thinks it’s time, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t coming back here soon. Connections like the one I felt with Poe, Felix, and Archer don’t just happen. Walking away from one once it has? That’s foolish, and I’m no fool.
“What’s the plan?” Felix is getting worked up, so I place a palm over his knee. Immediately, the jittering stops, and his eyes snap to mine in surprise.
“Settle.” Need flares, clear as day, and brings with it the certainty that this has to work. This thing between Felix and me is weighing heavy between us.
“It’s too hard, man.”
“That’s what she said.” Jokes are my go-to when things get too uncomfortable in the day-to-day. Trying to inject some levity here before we get to this coffee shop and are face-to-face with our mutual destiny seems like a solid course of action.
It has the desired effect. Even Archer joins in on the chuckle. He still gives me a lifted brow as his attention moves between my hand on Felix’s knee and my eyes. I don’t remove it.
“Seriously, though, we need a plan. Archer, that’s your scene. How do you want us to play this?”
“Let’s find out why she’s been ghosting us for days. Then figure out what barriers she’s throwing up between us. We’ll knock them down to make her ours. Simple.” Archer’s confident the battle’s already won because she messaged us.
On the other hand, I have a feeling it’s not going to be so simple.
CHAPTER16
POE
I’ve been sitting at this table inside Rendezvous Cafe since before I sent that group text to the guys. Mostly, because I knew if I wasn’t here already, I’d find a reason to chicken out and run.
“You’re here already. Early. Good girl.” Archer’s voice is ingrained in my memory.
“Um, yeah. I figured I’d come early and, uh, grab us a table.” Could I be any more lame? Geez.
“We’re glad you messaged us. Waiting was rough, but we wanted to respect your privacy.” Felix wraps his hands around mine where it’s cradling a mug of cocoa.
“I liked your messages. I’m just…sorry I didn’t respond to them. I was scared. I still am, honestly.”
If nothing else comes from today, I owe them some truths and an apology. Because of them, I know I’ll be okay. That what happened a year ago won’t define me forever.
“I want to know what scares you, but I’ll understand if it’s too private to share.” Felix lends strength without making a big show of it.
“I won’t.” Garen’s mumble is so quiet I almost miss it.
Him being disgruntled at not knowing my secrets makes me giggle. The tension surrounding our table cracks, and before I know it, they’re all smiling and teasing one another. Telling jokes and stories about who is the most impatient.
It’s no real surprise when the three finally agree Archer’s got the least patience. The oldest of them, he seems to be the most dominant and leader-like.
A server approaches to take everyone’s order, and Felix adds an extra muffin he says is for me. I know without asking he can see the difference in me from just a week ago.
And it’s not just that today I’m not in my ultra sexy fox outfit with my makeup on point. I know I’ve got dark smudges under my eyes from lack of sleep. Because I’m already on the slender side, the meals I’ve missed due to being so stressed out the past days have given my cheeks a cut look I’m sure he’s noticed.
“Whatever it is, we can work through it. If you want us, you got us. However slow you need us to go.”
“Archer, after all the stories those two just told me, I’m supposed to believe you’ll go slow?” I tease.
He picks up the hand Felix isn’t holding and kisses my knuckles. His eyes smile into mine so guiltlessly I can’t help but trust him.
“Maybe, you missed it, Princess. But I’m the boss. If I say we go slow because it’s what you need, we go slow.”
It’s impossible not to smile back at him. When the food and drinks come, conversation shifts to sharing likes and dislikes. Turns out I actually have lots of things in common with each of them.
Felix and I are both massive Scooby Doo fans. Archer and I both enjoy sampling craft whiskeys and fancy cigars. Garen’s the biggest surprise, because I hadn’t figured him for being a big fan of MMA fighting.
He’s a member of a mixed martial arts gym back in their hometown of Mariposa. I go to the fights as often as I can when they’re local. Once, I even applied to be a ring girl. When the time came to accept the job, I chickened out, though.
