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“You… you could say that,” Daniel said vaguely, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Anyway, we should pick up the pace before all the good sandwiches are gone. I don’t want to be left with tofu loaf again.”
“No, we wouldn’t want that,” Tessa said with a laugh. Before she could think better of it, she looped her arm through Daniel’s and led him toward the designated area, a delighted smile on her face. She was starting to break through that tough exterior; she could tell.
Chapter six
Withaheavysigh,Daniel stretched back in his desk chair. He had decided to take his laptop to work with him today, hoping to get a good chunk of his next chapter written on his lunch break. But he was distracted today, unable to put words to the page at the pace he wanted. His thoughts kept straying to Tessa.
Peeking his head out of the office door, he observed Tessa laughing with Patty as she bagged her latest romance novel. Despite his earlier misgivings, it had been nice having her in the shop. She had really taken to the role, building a lovely rapport with every customer who walked through the door. With increasing frequency, patrons were seeking out her recommendations, which she was always happy to give.
Okay, so it was possible he had been wrong about her. Shewasfitting in quite well, picking up things quickly. And it was nice to have an extra set of hands around the shop. Work also went by much quicker when they fell into easy, casual conversations.
That was what he was aiming for after that day, helping at the Harvest Festival. They had strayed too closely to in-depth conversation. His father was not something he cared to discuss with anyone, let alone someone he had known for such a short time.
Stretching out his fingers, Daniel attempted to get back into his manuscript. Writer’s block was still plaguing him, and he couldn’t find a way to break through it. There was just something indecipherable that wasmissing.What it was, he wasn’t sure.
Frustrated and desperately needing a break from his own creative blockage, Daniel swiped his wallet off the desk and headed toward the front of the shop. Patty had departed, and it was now quiet, save for Tessa’s playlist softly playing from her phone.
Tessa looked up as he approached, a romance novel clutched in her hands. “Oh! Hi. I was just—”
Daniel held up a hand to cut off her words, “Don’t worry about it. We all read on the job here. It’s practically part of the job description.”
Tessa relaxed and gave him an amused chuckle, “Still trekking your way through that massive fantasy tome?”
Leaning against the counter, Daniel flicked at the pages of her book, “Of course. Still getting lost in the saccharine sweet nothings of your romantic protagonists?”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing, but I looked up that fantasy book series you’re reading right now, and apparently, there is a lovely romance subplot,” she leaned in toward Daniel and rested her chin on her hand, a glimmer of mischief in her eye. “So, you aren’t totally without a heart, it seems.”
Daniel didn’t lean away, enjoying the proximity. “Yes, well, the book also has sword fights. So, it all balances out. And I never claimed to be heartless. That was your own assumption.”
“Silly me, you know what they say about assuming.”
Suddenly remembering why he had come out into the main area of the shop, Daniel patted his wallet in his back pocket, “Hey, so. I was figuring we could both use an afternoon caffeine spike. Care for a coffee from Lily’s?”
Tessa's expression lit up, and she grabbed his hands in hers, “Oh my gosh, yes, please. I have been dragging since this morning. Three creams and four sugars.”
Daniel made a face of disgust as he headed for the door. “Why do I feel like your blood type is syrup?”
“I’ll say it again! Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, Mr. Pretentious Black Coffee!”
He couldn’t help but chuckle at her parting words. Their banter had lost much of its venom over the course of her tenure at the bookstore, and now it was straying dangerously close to actual friendliness. It helped that she was exceptionally clever.
The weather was brisk, as Massachusetts typically was in October, and Daniel was glad he had worn a cable-knit sweater over his shirt today. He whistled a quiet tune as he walked toward Main Street, nodding to his neighbors as he passed.
There had been a change in him these past two weeks. Suddenly, he found his spirits lighter and his demeanor friendlier. He would be lying if he said Tessa wasn’t a large part of that. Despite her chaotic nature, she had a way of bringing out the best in him.
As he approached Lily’s Diner, he smiled faintly at the memories he had at the establishment. When he was just a kid, home had never really been a place he liked to be for long stretches of time. So, he often did his homework at the bookshop or here, at the diner. Lily always loved to dote on him, plying him with free malted milkshakes as he puzzled out his multiplication tables.
She had even offered him a job when he’d come of working age. But, of course, Daniel had already made plans with Martha. It was wonderful to have the offer, though. Despite himself, he never viewed Lily’s affections as pity. It was more motherly warmth than anything, and Daniel had treasured it in his mother’s absence. This town had basically raised him, filling in the gaps where his father had failed, and he was so grateful for their efforts.
He gently pushed open the door to the diner, slipping inside. It was busier than usual at this hour, the lunch crowd seeming to have stuck around for a bit of socialization. He noticed Izzy, the teenage waitress, darting between tables to refill Cokes and water glasses.
“Daniel! My boy, how are you today?” Lily greeted him from behind the counter as she poured a cup of coffee for a patron. “Here for some of my grub?”
Daniel shook his head as he approached her, “Not today. Just looking to grab some coffees for me and Tessa.”
Lily raised an eyebrow, eyes wide with speculation, “Oh, getting coffee for your new employee, are we? What a gentleman. So, things are going well with her?”
“She is an admirable employee,” he offered, not willing to give Lily more information than that. She didn’t need to know that Tessa was always on his mind, that her smile made his heart flutter.
