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His family had moved to Willowcreek the year after Dante had left, and we were paired up together in our art class. Having him for a partner honestly helped the year go by a lot better than I expected.
“Oh my god! Henry, I didn’t know you were in town,” I say as I wrap my arms around him and pull him into a hug.
Henry laughs at my reaction as he pulls away slightly. “I still live in town. I’m the art teacher at the high school now.”
“Oh, wow,” I reply with a smile that feels like it stretches from ear to ear across my face. “That’s amazing. You were always so talented.”
“Me?” He chuckles again as his eyes roam over my body before meeting mine once more. “I think it’s safe to say that you’re the amazing one. I mean, you’re the big-shot artist in New Orleans these days… didn’t one of your latest pieces recently sell for over six figures? Why the heck are you back in Willowcreek?”
I grin, blushing, as I step out of his hug. “Actually, I’m here because my friends and I inherited Mrs. Kendall’s property. We’re turning it into a community center clubhouse.”
“That’s awesome! The kids need more entertainment around here.”
“Our thoughts exactly.”
My gaze flickers to Dante, wanting to say,See? We have community support, what we’re doing is actually useful.But instead, I say nothing.
Instead, I’m briefly captivated by the way his eyes bore into mine. Shifting from Henry to me with an angry narrowed expression before sliding down my body and back up to my face once more. I’m not sure what’s going through his mind, but the actions he takes are so intense that my body feels like it’s on fire.
I don’t miss the way he briefly looks at Henry once more as he lifts his coffee to his lips downing it in one go before pulling his phone out of his pocket and placing it to his ear. The entire time he is speaking, his eyes don’t leave mine. A sense of warning that what happened today wasn’t over.
And then just like that, he stands, throwing a few bills from his wallet onto the table before disappearing out of the coffee shop as if what had just happened between us was non-existent.
It happens so suddenly that I didn’t even notice Henry and Sam starting up a conversation. My hands tremble as I take a seat again and gulp down the glass of water I had sitting on the table. What was that about? Was I imagining that look? It’s ridiculous. He already made it perfectly clear that he thinks I’m an idiot.
He wouldn’t be wrong.
I am an idiot if I let myself think that there’s anything more to it.
Chapter Seven
DANTE
Madi shoves the coffee into my hand, malice written in her eyes.The last thing Kylie needs is you fucking up her life. Buzz off.I can almost hear her words projected at full volume into my head.
“Here. Now waddle your penguin ass out.”
I had planned on taking my coffee to go. Half-planned at least. But now it’s a matter of pride. If I leave, Madi will think she drove me away, which is nowhere near the truth. Besides, I want the chance to talk to Kylie alone…even though I have no fucking clue as to what I’ll say to her.
Other than, “I’m sorry for being a complete asshole.”
I deserved the paint splotches on my suit jacket after how I spoke to her, even though part of me is annoyed she ruined my suit. Even if it is old.
Irritation at myself spikes through me as I find a spot facing the three women and take a seat. Kylie’s face is as red as her hair and she stares downward, regret and embarrassment clearly written on her face. The urge I have to go over and reassure her that she has nothing to be embarrassed about irritates me even further.
“Ignore him.” I hear Madi tell Kylie as she rejoins the table. “He is just jealous that he doesn’t know how to have fun.”
Jealous? Hardly.I scowl as I watch them.
“So, where should we go dancing?” Sam says, deliberately turning her back to me. “We could run up to the city. We’ll have our pick of clubs there, with VIP service to boot. All Asher has to do is make a call”
I didn’t miss the end of Kylie’s comment when I entered the cafe. I try my best to ignore it. To internally laugh at the thought of her partying, the idea is too humourous to ignore. She had never been a party girl. And though she might not think that I paid attention to her, I did.
She is still the same shy little girl who used to follow my brother around everywhere.
I watch as Kylie tries to avoid my gaze, nodding slowly but not saying anything as the other two continue their moronic conversation. Though Kylie sits with them, I can’t help but notice how her mind seems to be a mile away as she bites gently on her bottom lip.
A lip I wish more than anything I could taste.
