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Carter didn’t have a huge staff and had a couple of non-descript part-timers, but he wasn’t busy enough to warrant needing more.
As I was returning from the bathroom on my fifth day of visits, Carter was walking around. I hadn’t seen him out over my last couple of incognito visits, and during most of my undercover operations his name hadn’t even been whispered over the breathy brews.
However, there he was walking toward me with a small tray, and a fresh cup of steaming coffee on top.
“Figured I’d interrupt whatever work is keeping you highly focused and drop off a complimentary cup of joe for you. It’s a brew-tiful day, isn’t it?” He set the mug down, but it was his forearm I was staring at.
What was the draw to a sleeve rolled up exposing a forearm? It was captivating in a way I couldn’t explain.
“Hey, my eyes are up here,” he said with a hearty laugh.
My embarrassed gaze roamed up his sleeve, over the open top button of his shirt where a gold necklace barely peeked out, and up over his full lips to his gorgeous eyes. Which were narrowed slightly, although his left brow was raised ever so in a slightly curious look.
He nosed toward my laptop. “What have you been working on?”
“A mini project, actually.”
“And that’s what’s been bringing you here for a few hours each day?”
My jaw unhinged and fell open in the most unladylike way. Abruptly, I snapped it shut and rolled my bottom lip between my teeth. “You noticed?”
“It’s my store, of course I’m going to notice.” He tipped closer, a breathy hint of mint in the air. “By the way, I liked the outfit you had on earlier this week – that blue sweater. It looked great on you.” A faint blush tinged the apples of his cheeks.
The royal blue cable-knit sweater I’d paired with black jeans and my leather boots was one of my all-time favourites, and I felt comfortable and confident while wearing it.
A warm, blossoming heat rolled up from my insides and spread like wildfire across my chest, flooding into my ears at a rapid pace. How sweet he’d noticed me? I hadn’t seen him then or the day previous, so where had he been hiding?
Trying to control my breathing, I leaned back slightly to allow for a greater intake of air. “Thank you for noticing. If I came dressed like I was ready for a business meeting, it would’ve raised alarm bells. I was trying to blend in.”
“You’re born to shine, and you just walking into a place draws attention. You could never blend.” His gaze fell to the mug of coffee, and my heart thumped loudly in response. “Believe me, people notice you.”
It was said so sweetly, I blushed even harder, which I didn’t think was possible. Had the area been dark, I would’ve lit it right up.
“Anyway.” He removed the ring-stained mug, added it to his tray, and shoulder-checked toward the front of the store. “I’m sorry about our last interaction. The cup of coffee is for you, not as a peace offering, just as a because. It’s just a regular brew, nothing fancy.” He kicked the top of his runners over the hardwood floors. “Ah, jeez. It is a bit of a peace offering.”
“Thank you.” I took a sip while keeping my focus on Carter. He hadn’t returned my focus and was shuffling on his feet. “It’s just what I needed, thanks.” I set it down and cleared my throat, ready to tackle the elephant in the room. “Last time you and I talked, you took off abruptly. What happened? Why’d you just leave me?”
A heavy sound filled the space between us, and he slipped onto the chair across from me.
The napkin under the mug called to him and he retrieved it, folding it along the sides and giving it half his attention. However, he still avoided my question.
I prodded but squared my shoulders. “Was it because I was crying?”
With that, his chocolatey-brown gaze jumped up to lock on me as it widened in surprise. “Never.”
“Really?” I narrowed my eyes in judgement.
A long time ago, I’d learned the quickest – and most awkward way – to clear the area around me was to lose control of my emotions, and few people rarely stuck around when it happened. Once my dad passed away though, I just stopped crying in front of people, or even coming close. No one cared, or they blamed it on that time of the month while they muttered under their breath, and it wasn’t worth the awkwardness always accompanying it.
“Why’d you leave me like that?”
The Adam’s apple bobbed, and he stopped manoeuvring the napkin into whatever it was he was creating. A swan? “I didn’t leave you. I had something I needed to attend to and when I came back, you were gone.”
My chin tucked in as I leaned forward. “I waited over an hour for you to return.”
“Harry said as much.” The tone was even and calm, but there was also an edge to it I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
I waited. I watched. I hoped.
