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I lean against my truck and watch her every move. Head held high, she runs up the stone steps and joyfully says hello to the women staring at her, and with one last glance over her shoulder, she throws me a flirty wave, then runs her finger over her lips as if remembering how our kiss felt.
I bob my head in recognition and give her a cheeky wink.
I can’t wait until next Saturday to see her again.
She can kiss that idea goodbye.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lily
Turning around behind the counter at the coffeehouse, I’m completely caught off guard and startled by a dark figure towering over me, causing me to let out a high-pitched shriek.
Ash.
Black baseball cap pulled low over his eyes, black padded jacket and dark eyes greet me.
Speechless, for a beat, we stare at each other.
Mimicking what he did in his truck the other night, he draws a line with his pointer finger down my nose then traces the outline of my top lip with the softest of touches making a shot of joy pump the blood in my veins a little faster.
“Customers aren’t allowed behind the counter,” I whisper, not sure what to say as my heart flaps about in my chest like a moth against a window.
“Shhhh.” He places his forefinger against his lips; the ones I kissed last night and could happily kiss for the rest of my life. “You never saw me,” he murmurs as he hands me a white envelope and makes a swift exit.
In a daze, I watch him out the window, running across the street toward the arena.
“He’s got it bad, girl.” Kourtney’s voice breaks the spell he appears to have cast over me. “What did he give you?”
I look down at the stark white envelope I had almost forgotten about and grin ear to ear when I read my name which has been spelled using cut outs from magazines. When my gaze falls on the tiger lily flower at the end of the letter Y, I run my fingertips over it.
“You are killing me, Lily. For God’s sake, will you open the damn thing?”
Unable to contain myself, I rip open the sealed envelope and pull out a folded piece of paper that looks like a genuine ransom letter that you see in the movies and I giggle when I read it out loud.
“I have your scarf. If you want to see it again, be at the main arena entrance at 9.15 p.m. Should you fail to turn up, the scarf gets it.”
“Well, what do you know? Ash ‘The Bear’ Johansson has a sense of humor after all and he’s cute with it.” Kourtney bumps her shoulder with mine, while I’m frozen to the spot, swooning with a goofy look on my face over his silly, yet super romantic, letter.
I check the oversized coffee cup shaped clock above the barista machine and nibble my lip nervously. Eight forty-five. Thirty minutes until I need to be at the arena.
It’s as if he knew that if he gave me too much time to overthink his invitation, I would start flapping like a baby bird that’s flown the nest for the first time.
“Go now.” Kourtney turns me around, grabs my shoulders from behind, and frog marches me in the direction of the staff room. “I’ll pay you until nine, like always.”
“I can’t let you do that.”
Waving her hand through the air, dismissing my comment, she says, “It’s only fifteen minutes.” She rolls her eyes and then clutches her heart. “And who am I to stand in the way of true love?”
“Love?” I shrill. That’s a bit of a stretch from one night of kissing, which I would appreciate more of. Only I was unsure if he really did like me after dropping me off at my apartment the other night. He didn't even ask me for my phone number.
“It could be.” Her mouth curves into a devilish grin. “Never say never.”
“Kourtney,” I say wistfully, with a grateful undertone. “Thank you for letting me leave early.”
“It’s cool. You work damn hard, day and night, Lily. Time to have some fun.” She claps her hands together with excitement. Her whole face lights up like a full moon when she smiles. “Grab your things and go.”
I bite my bottom lip between my teeth. “I’m nervous.”
