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After grabbing the drinks for me, he made himself a plate and sat across from me. We ate in silence for a while. I didn’t know if it was his nerves or my own that were making the gathering of words almost impossible. The butterflies fluttered in my stomach as his words kept echoing in my mind.
Your wish is my command.
If I had known that was true, I would’ve wished for a few more things from Alex. Like his smiles. And his laughter. His friendship. Sure, we had a rocky start, to say the least, but I bet Alex was a remarkable friend. Noah was living proof of that.
“I’m sorry if I made a fool of myself last night,” I said as I bit into a piece of bacon.
“You didn’t, and if you had made a fool of yourself, it would’ve been fine, too.”
I smiled, leaned toward him, and whispered, “I made a fool of myself, didn’t I?”
He leaned forward and whispered back, “A total ass of yourself.”
I snickered. “I am what I am, and that’s all that I am.”
“I wouldn’t want that to change.”
“Gosh, you’re really taking this being nice thing to a whole new level. I should’ve wished for it to be an always thing, not just one more day.”
“That’s why you should think out eyelash wishes. Now, I have to be a jerk to you again tomorrow.”
“What a shame,” I said, plopping back against my chair. “And to think we were almost friends.”
He wore a grin that touched the corners of his eyes. His smiles made my own lips turn up because they sent sparks of energy throughout my whole system.
“I should get going,” I said after the late breakfast. “I need a shower. I look a mess.”
“You look great.”
I laughed and gestured toward my makeup-less tired face. “You think this is beautiful?”
“Like a diamond,” he replied.
My heart beat faster and slower all at once. I felt both dizzy and steady somehow. How did he manage to make me feel such conflicting things?
My cheeks heated as I stood. “I was supposed to pick up my dog Cocoa a while ago from Cole, and I’m sure he’s having a fit over it.”
“I hate him,” he blurted out.
“You do?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because of…”—his words faltered—“you.”
My heart. It skipped. It danced. It soared. It got confused, too. Alex seemed to be confusing me a lot lately. “Because of me?”
He took a bite of his bacon. “Yes.”
“I thought hating took too much energy from you.”
“I tapped into my storage unit of energy.”
I bit my bottom lip and shimmied a little. “You know what that means, right?”
“What’s that?”
“You like me.”
He rolled his eyes and leaned back in his chair. “Don’t go making up stories in your head, Goldie.”
“I’m reading the book you’re presenting to me, Mr. Black.”
“A fictional novel.”
“No,” I disagreed, “An autobiography. The story of how the grumpy black cat befriended the golden retriever.”
“A tale as old as time.”
“An instant New York Times bestseller.”
“Wallstreet Journal called it a triumphant tale of opposites attract.”
“US Weekly said it’s the highlight of the year. Rumor has it that the ending of the book—”
“No.” He interjected. “Don’t tell me you’re a person who enjoys spoiling the ending of books. I’d like to see how each chapter plays out day by day.” He stood from the table and walked over to me, pulled out my chair and offered me his hand.
I stood to my feet, my mind swirling with thoughts I wasn’t certain how to unpack just yet solely from the touch of his hand. Perhaps it didn’t need to be unpacked right then and there. Maybe the current chapter of us could simmer and heat up a little longer within my thoughts.
“Thank you for everything,” I said to him as I walked to the front door. “Clothing and all,” I said, gesturing to the outfit he’d given me.
“Anytime.”
“Don’t say that unless you mean it,” I joked. “Because I will steal all your sweats.”
“Well.” He gave me a slow once-over, his gaze traveling from my feet up to my eyes. He opened his front door and quirked his lip. “They look better on you, anyway.”
Alex, Alex, Alex, don’t make me blush.
I sighed. “Can we pretend I have another eyelash so I can make another wish?”
He swiped at my cheek, held his finger in front of my mouth, and showed an invisible lash. “Go for it.”
I shut my eyes and murmured in a low voice, “I wish Mr. Black and I could become friends someday.”
I blew against his finger.
I lifted my lids to find his brown eyes locking with mine. He inched forward, his thumb grazing his lower lip. He was so close that our faces met in a soft collision as his breath caressed the curve of my ear. His intimate whisper sent shivers skipping down my spine. “Your wish is my command.”
