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“No? It’s kind of right there in the name.”
“I know,” he responds with a smile. “But still. You grew up here, right? What’s it like having Christmas all year round?”
“It’s very… Christmas-y.” I take a sip of the espresso.Ugh. “It’s alright. I don’t mind it, really. Some people up here get a little too excited, though.”
“Yeah, I’ve seen some real enthusiasts around town. A lot of Santa hats.”
“Whydidyou move here?” I ask. “We get a lot of tourists, but I don’t really get why someone would actually come to live here. It’s a pretty small town.”
Tanner shrugs. “It’s kind of a long story. Came here for love. Turned out, it was pretty one-sided.”
“What do you mean?”
“I caught her fucking a guy from work.”
I wince. “Ouch, that sucks. And you stayed here anyway?”
“I kind of like it here,” he says, eyes fixed on me. “And with my job, I don’t really have to worry about where I live. It’s all remote, so…”
Right. Tanner’s job. I’ve never met someone who can just support themselves with their social media presence. Must be nice parading around and taking pictures of yourself,andgetting paid for it. He must be pretty popular, but I actually haven’t checked him out online yet. Maybe that’s a little weird; I’m just not on social media a lot.
“Must be exciting,” I say. “Being able to work for yourself.”
He nods. “It was never the plan, but I love it. I’m pretty lucky to get to do what I do.” He leans forward, resting his arms on the table. “And you? Do you like what you do?”
“I work in a grocery store,” I respond and roll my eyes. “Not exactly the most glamorous thing.”
“Maybe not,” Tanner says, and he looks at me with those amazing brown eyes that just make me melt. “But not everything has to be glamorous in order to be enjoyed.”
You should like me just fine, then.“It’s a pretty crappy job, to be honest. I’d rather do something else, but there aren’t very many jobs available in this tiny town.”
“You should start something on your own. Do something online; there are so many opportunities nowadays.”
I nod. I have no idea what I would even do if I were to start my own business, but I don’t want him to know that. “Maybe I’ll just do what you’re doing,” I tease and smile.
“You should. It’s very rewarding.”
We sit there and talk for the better part of two hours. My espresso is long gone, and Tanner is actually laughing at my jokes. This is going better than I’d thought. I like the way he’s so passionate about what he does. I’m not used to guys actually listening to what I have to say, but he seems genuinely interestedin what I’m talking about, too. What kind of moron would cheat on a guy like this?
Tanner walks me back to my apartment, and our hands keep touching as we’re strolling down the streets. When we stop outside my apartment building, he strokes my hair back from my face before he leans in close. A jolt of electricity shoots through me when our lips meet. His lips are soft, and when I open up for him, he tastes of coffee and mint. His tongue is teasing, and his fingers in my hair send shivers down my back.
“I hope to see you again soon,” he says as we pull apart, his voice low and raspy. I nod and look into his eyes.
“I hope so, too.”
I watch as he walks away, my skin tingling as if someone has opened a can of soda in my chest. That went way better than I thought it would.
I smile all the way up the stairs as I walk into my apartment. I can’t sit still, so I just pace around my living room. Thinking back on the hours we spent at the coffee shop. I take out my phone, wanting to text him right away. But maybe that would be weird. Yeah, better to wait a little, at least until he gets home. I can be patient.
Who am I kidding? No, I can’t.
Thanks for a lovely date. I look forward to seeing you again.
And then I send a little kissy face. Is that juvenile? I don’t really care. I’m just so excited!
This feels like the start of something great.
CHAPTER 2
