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“Well hello there, honey. I didn’t know you were coming in today,” my mom says, her eyes twinkling.
“Couldn’t be helped. Needed some stuff,” I say, my cheeks heating a little bit because who I need I haven’t seen yet.
My mom winks at me, knowing exactly what I’m up to. She didn’t raise me and not learn a thing or two. I’d had crushes back in high school, but I’ve never really felt this way about someone. It seems that first kiss imprinted him on me, and I’m having a hard time letting him go.
Don’t mind if I never do, actually.
“Here you go,” she says as she pours a large black coffee and clicks the lid into place.
“Mama, you know that I don’t like it black, it tastes like burned toast.”
“Oh, I know this,” she says and then starts whipping up something that looks much better, like it’s stuffed full of sugar, before she tops it off with whipped cream and chocolate drizzle.
She scoots both cups toward me and then whispers, “I think he’s on break in the back.”
My eyes light up instantly, and I grab both in my hands, trying to tamp down the giddiness that’s bubbling up within me. But it sure is hard, especially when I push my way intothe backroom and see Braxton on his phone, his lip ring pulled between his teeth as his thumbs tap across the screen.
“Hey,” I say and his phone goes flying, hitting the floor with a crack.
He scrambles toward it and sighs when he sees the screen.
“Shit, Jimbob,” he murmurs but turns to glance at me, his cheeks flushing slightly.
“Did I break it?” I ask, feeling guilty. I’ll buy him a new one if I have to. Actually, that would make me real happy. I have a nice big savings account. I could totally afford it.
“No, and you didn’t do anything. I’m the one who threw it.”
“I know, but I startled you. I just didn’t realize you were so in your own world.”
He peers up at me as I hand him his cup of coffee. “Here you go. My mom says hi.”
He takes it reluctantly and sips at it, his nose scrunching up.
“Jesus, Jimbob, you trying to kill me with all that sugar?”
I frown and then take a sip of the cup still in my hand, the burned taste stabbing at my tastebuds.
“Gave you the wrong one,” I say, handing him the right cup, and he gingerly trades with me. “Sorry about all my germs on this.”
He takes a long sip and wets his lips after.
“After everything we did, you’re worried I’m gonna be upset about some germs?”
My cheeks flush as I take a seat next to him, sipping on my mocha silently. I sure am happy to be here with him, but I wonder if he’s just as happy to see me.
“I get off in three hours,” Braxton says, peering over at me.
“Oh, neat.”
His gaze travels back to his cup and his knee starts to bounce.
“Look, do you want to hang out again or not?”
The way he blurts it, almost defensively makes me nervously reply, “No. I mean, yes. I want to hang out with you. Of course I do.”
He bobs his head and then purses his lips. “Cool. Should I meet you at your place?”
“Yeah, sounds good, and should I make you dinner?”
