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Ezra walked by and nabbed the remote, changing the channel and ignoring the protests as he muttered about trash TV. I didn’t think he noticed but I wanted to dive over the counter and kiss him for a whole new reason now.
“It’s fine,” Micah promised me. I wished I could believe my brother but I knew damn well this wasn’t over. I could hide away but they’d find a way to track me down one way or another.
“What is it you wanted to talk about?” I asked. All of our previous joking was gone and we both looked like we’d seen a ghost. But he humored me anyway.
“I have a friend. You might remember me talking about Collin? My old college roommate?” I nodded in acknowledgement and he continued. “Well, he and I have been talking about buying old houses, rehabbing them, and then selling. Making a business of it. I mentioned my sister might be coming down and that you were really good with numbers. And if I remember correctly you built quite a few things out in that old shed with Grandpa. So, we thought you might want in on it?”
“And what about your job?” I pointed out. “It’s not quick money, right?”
“No, it’s not. But Collin has a bit of an inheritance and we’re finding grants and loans, buying cheap, the works. We’ve got a few buildings in mind and are meeting up tomorrow. What do you say?”
Usually, my brother was always ready to try new things. I expected this to be another random adventure or idea that he’d get bored of. But hearing him describe it in detail had my attention.
“I don’t know that I can put all my eggs in that basket, but I’m willing to go to the meeting and hear you out. Maybe I can nab a few freelance accounting jobs or something to pay my bills as well,” I said, mulling it over.
We both let it drop when the food arrived. Honestly, it smelled too good to ignore and I didn’t hesitate to dig right in. The waffle was sweet and rich, the syrup warm, it was pure fucking heaven.
“This makes all the bullshit I just went through worth it,” I said around a groan.
“Ezra and Gabe are a pretty good duo,” Micah said as he took a huge bite of his eggs. I looked away before I lost my appetite. I had no clue how anyone could enjoy them.
My food was polished off in minutes but Micah took his time. I wanted to reach for my phone or check my socials, but I hadn’t even brought myself to turn the do not disturb settings off yet. Micah and Tori were the only ones who could get through.
It didn’t matter. The damage was done and I’d face it eventually. I could at least give myself a few days of peace.
“Ezra, I need three orders of fries.” The raspy voice next to me had me pulling my head out of my ass and looking over. She locked eyes with me right away and the way she narrowed them had me ready to run. “You Micah’s sister?”
I nodded with wide eyes.
“Thought so. You have his eyes. He’s a pretty good guy,” she said before turning back to Ezra. “And a large soda!”
“No,” Ezra countered. “You get a water and a salad.”
“Only if you want to die,” she laughed with absolutely no humor in it, only a promise of pain.
They acted with the same sort of dry humor and that was when I noticed her dark brown hair that matched his. They didn’t look similar enough to be siblings but I would guess they were family to some degree.
Ezra grabbed a glass and went to the fountain, pouring her a water and plopping it down in front of her.
“Drink it.”
“Or what? You’ll brood me to death?”
“Drink it.” He wasn’t giving in to her in the slightest. The way he stood back, arms crossed, eyes narrowed… it had me squirming in my seat.
She slid the glass to me. “Here, water to go with that coffee. Hydrate and all that.”
Ezra looked at me then, daring me to touch it. I don’t know what came over me but I picked up the glass, opened my mouth, and guzzled it down, not stopping until it was drained.
My eyes never left his as I sat it down and wiped my mouth off. It was strangely exhilarating to watch his nostrils flare in frustration. Even Micah was silent in this interaction. In fact…so was the diner.
An uproar of laughter from the girl next to me followed by her hand slapping the table as she wheezed through the full belly laugh broke the silence and Ezra snatched the glass away from in front of me and walked away, muttering something about impossible women.
“Okay, we’re officially best friends now. I’m Serenity. And you are? Well, other than a badass…”
“Ellie,” I offered with a chuckle. “I’m not even sure why I did that.”
“It was epic. My cousin could use a brat like you in his life. You’re a natural. Please keep it up,” she praised, laughing even harder as he slid over a to-go soda and a container that was practically bursting with fries. She threw a few bills on the counter before getting up. “I’ll catch your number next time. I have to run before Walter kicks my ass again.”
